North Korea has reportedly executed an official using a flamethrower, on orders of the country’s leader Kim Jong-un.
His grisly end came as he is apparently one of up to 11 senior party officials with close ties to Jang Song-taek - the "Dear Leader's" recently purged uncle.
South Korean press said the shocking punishment was handed down after the official helped Jang turn the ministry into a personal security division to help safeguard his business interests.
Kim got rid of his father’s brother-in-law, along with his entire family, last December after finding him guilty of corruption and activities counter to the policies of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
The regime has previously used, er, unorthodox means for executing opponents.
Two years ago vice minister of the army was executed with a mortar round for drinking during the official mourning period after Kim Jong-il's death.
On the orders of Kim Jong-un to leave "no trace of him behind, down to his hair," he was forced to stand on a spot that had been targeted for a mortar round and "obliterated".
It has also previously been reported that the country’s dictator has had opponents fed to starving dogs, which was later dismissed as a satirical joke.
North Korea South Korea Tensions
(01 of19)
South Korean marine LVT-7 landing craft sail to shores through smoke screens during the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises called Ssangyong, part of the Foal Eagle military exercises, in Pohang, South Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. South Korea said North Korea has announced plans to conduct live-fire drills near the rivals' disputed western sea boundary. The planned drills Monday come after an increase in threatening rhetoric from Pyongyang and a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches in an apparent protest against the annual military exercises by Seoul and Washington.
(02 of19)
South Korean Marine amphibious assault vehicles land on the seashore during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(03 of19)
A South Korean Marine sits in an amphibious assault vehicle during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. Meanwhile, the two Koreas traded hundreds of rounds of live artillery fire across their disputed maritime border, forcing South Korean islanders to take shelter a day after the North drove up tensions by threatening a new nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(04 of19)
South Korean Marine amphibious assault vehicles land on the seashore during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(05 of19)
Lunch trays for students are left on tables of a cafeteria after students were evacuated to a shelter at a school on Yeonpyeong island, South Korea, near the West Sea border with North Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. North and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other's waters Monday, a flare-up of animosity between the rivals that forced residents of five front-line South Korean islands to evacuate to shelters, South Korean officials said. (credit:AP)
(06 of19)
US Marines take a position during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North and South Korea traded fire across their disputed maritime border on March 31, with the South's military saying it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(07 of19)
South Korean Marines exit an amphibious assault vehicle during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. Meanwhile, the two Koreas traded hundreds of rounds of live artillery fire across their disputed maritime border, forcing South Korean islanders to take shelter a day after the North drove up tensions by threatening a new nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(08 of19)
South Korean anti-war activists march near an amphibious assault vehicle during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North and South Korea traded fire across their disputed maritime border on March 31, with the South's military saying it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(09 of19)
US Marines take a position as South Korean policemen stand guard to block protestors during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North and South Korea traded fire across their disputed maritime border on March 31, with the South's military saying it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(10 of19)
US Marines get out from an amphibious assault vehicle during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(11 of19)
South Korean (R) and US (L) Marines gesture to a point during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(12 of19)
US Marines take a positon during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of19)
US Marines sit in an amphibious assault vehicle during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North Korea announced a live-fire drill on March 31 near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a 'new form' of nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(14 of19)
South Korean anti-war activists march near a beach as policemen stand guard during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North and South Korea traded fire across their disputed maritime border on March 31, with the South's military saying it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(15 of19)
A South Korean Marine stands on a beach as amphibious assault vehicles (in background) approach the seashore during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. Meanwhile, the two Koreas traded hundreds of rounds of live artillery fire across their disputed maritime border, forcing South Korean islanders to take shelter a day after the North drove up tensions by threatening a new nuclear test. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(16 of19)
A US Marine takes a position during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. North and South Korea traded fire across their disputed maritime border on March 31, with the South's military saying it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of19)
In this photo provided by the Ongjin County, residents of Baengnyeong Island evacuate their homes to a shelter on the island, South Korea, near the West Sea border with North Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. North and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other's waters Monday, a flare-up of animosity between the rivals that forced residents of five front-line South Korean islands to evacuate to shelters, South Korean officials said. (credit:AP)
(18 of19)
A man watches a television news program reporting about North Korea's plan to conduct live-fire drills, at a Seoul train station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. South Korea said North Korea has announced plans to conduct live-fire drills near the rivals' disputed western sea boundary. Seoul's Defense Ministry said North Korea says it will conduct firing drills in seven areas north of the sea boundary. Seoul responded that it will strongly react if provoked. The writing reads "North, Firing drills in seven areas western sea." (credit:AP)
(19 of19)
In this photo provided by the Ongjin County, residents of Baengnyeong Island watch a big screen showing a TV news report about North Korea's firing drills as they evacuate to a shelter on the the island, South Korea, near the West Sea border with North Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. North and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other's waters Monday, a flare-up of animosity between the rivals that forced residents of five front-line South Korean islands to evacuate to shelters, South Korean officials said. (credit:AP)