Kim Jong Un Fires Top General, Orders North Korean Military to Prepare for War

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fired his top general and ordered his military to "gird for war," according to state media. Gen. Pak Su Il was dismissed as chief of the General Staff and Vice Marshal Ri Yong Gil was appointed in his place. Other commanding officers were also dismissed, transferred, or appointed. The shake-up of military leadership comes as North Korea ramps up its military rhetoric and showcases its advances in ballistic missile technology. The move may be aimed at preventing anyone below Kim from becoming too powerful, and the report emphasized the need for the army to be prepared for war given the "grave political and military situation" on the Korean Peninsula.