AKIPRESS.COM - North Korea's Defence Minister Hyon Yong-chol has been executed, South Korea's spy agency has told parliament, according to media reports.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said MPs were told Mr Hyon had been killed on 30 April by anti-aircraft fire in front of an audience of hundreds.

He is believed to have been accused of showing disloyalty to North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un.

There were few details of the reported execution, but Yonhap - quoting a briefing by the South Korea's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) - said Mr Hyon had fallen asleep during an event attended by Kim Jong-un and had not carried out instructions.