As the shock sinks in of North Korea's extraordinary announcement of the execution of leader Kim Jong Un's uncle and former protector, government officials and analysts are trying to decipher what the brutal move means. The ruthless disposal of Jang Song Thaek -- Kim's uncle by marriage who had, until recently, been regarded as the second-most powerful figure in the secretive, nuclear-armed nation -- has serious implications for North Korea, its neighbors and the United States, observers said. But exactly what is going on inside the notoriously opaque North Korea regime remains as murky as ever. "We don't have a clear sense of this at all," said Victor Cha, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who represented the United States in nuclear talks with North Korea.
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North Korea seems "not as stable as we thought," one analyst says
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Some observers warn a provocative move like a missile or nuclear test could follow
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Jang Song Thaek was married to Kim's aunt, was vice chairman of the top military body
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North Korea state media say Jang was convicted and executed
A U.S. official said, "Executing someone with Jang's pedigree would be a dramatic statement that @placeholder intends to be ruthless in consolidating his control.