North Korea has replaced its defense minister in a reshuffle of senior military leadership, state media reported Sunday, as the country accelerates its military modernization push and tightens discipline within the ranks. Kim Song-gi, director of the General Political Bureau of the North's Korean People's Army, was appointed as the country's new defense minister, replacing No Kwang-chol, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). No was removed as defense minister and from the party's central leadership and appointed first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The reshuffle was decided at the second meeting of the ninth WPK Central Military Commission held the previous day, which was guided by leader Kim Jong-un, the report said. In the latest reshuffle, veteran military official Pak Jong-chon was appointed vice-chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission after being re-elected as a member of the party's Central Committee and Politburo. Pak returned to the forefront of the North's military leadership after step