Anchor: North Korea's ruling Workers' Party secretary Choe Ryong-hae is believed to be receiving punitive training at a collective farm. Once regarded as Pyongyang's number-two figure, Choe's whereabouts have been under speculation as he did not show up at a state funeral for a famed military marshal who died last week.
Our Kim Soyon has more.
 
Report: A source well-versed in North Korean affairs told reporters Thursday that Pyongyang's ruling Workers' Party Secretary Choe Ryong-hae is believed to have been sent to a rural collective farm.
 
The source said that Choe is expected to be receiving what he called a "revolutionary measure," or punitive educational training. 
 
Once widely regarded as Pyongyang's second in command, Choe is said to be doing labor at the farm instead of acting in a managerial role.
 
Being subject to the North's revolutionary education in a rural or mining area is a relatively high-level of punishment for a ranking North Korean official.
 
The source said that details are elusive, but as Choe was the ruling party secretary in charge of providing ideological education to workers’ groups, the punitive measure could be related to the lackluster performance of the Socialist Youth League.
 
The source, however, said that it is unclear whether poor construction work of the now completed Mount Paektu Hero Youth Power Station, which the youth league was overseeing, was the direct cause behind Choe's alleged punishment.
 
If it's true that Choe is receiving re-education, it would be his third time following similar incidents in 1994 and 2004. 
 
Some North Korea experts said that it is unlikely Choe is under a revolutionary education, as it would also mean that he has been dismissed from all official positions. They suggested that instead Choe could only be under investigation.
 
The source added that the whereabouts of other North Korean officials who were left out from the funeral committee for deceased military marshal Ri Ul-sol have yet to be confirmed.
 
Choe was excluded from the funeral committee and was also a no-show at Wednesday's state funeral which was attended by top North Korean officials, including parliamentary leader Kim Yong-nam, Premier Park Pong-ju and Hwang Pyong-so, director of the North Korean military's General Political Bureau.
Kim Soyon, KBS World Radio News.