Kim Jong-un's aide working on farm as punishment

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent his key aide to a local farm earlier this month as punishment for mishandling a hydraulic power station construction project, South Korea's intelligence agency said on Tuesday.

Choe Ryong-hae, the communist party's secretary, appears to have been receiving re-education at a farm in an unidentified province starting this month due to his responsibility for water leakage from the newly built hydraulic power station, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The NIS told lawmakers that Choe was punished for the problem at the power station near North Korea's border with China. It also added that there was a disagreement between Kim Jong-un and Choe, the Korea Herald reported.

North Korea mobilised many officials to complete the construction of the power station at the foot of Mount Baekdu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula.

The project, launched in 2002, was completed in October to celebrate the North Korean ruling party's 70th founding anniversary.