It appears that the recent execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's uncle Jang Song-thaek may have had something to do with a firefight between troops loyal to Kim and those supporting Jang over profits from North Korea's lucrative exports in coal, clams and crabs.

North Korean soldiers were ordered to retake control of rich crab and fishing grounds that Uncle Jang had seized from the military. According to one official, the battle for control of the fishing grounds saw the poorly trained North Korean forces badly beaten by Jang's loyalists.

It looks like Uncle Jang was able to consolidate many of the trading rights for coal, clams and crabs under his own control after Kim took over from his father and took the rights away from the military and gave them to the cabinet, of which Uncle Jang was a member.

This fall when Kim saw that some North Korean soldiers looked malnourished, he ordered that Jang return operation of the fishing grounds to the military. Jang and his associates resisted, according to South Korean and American officials. When a group of 150 North Korean soldiers showed up at the crab and clam farm, Jang's loyalists refused to hand over operations until Jang gave the approval himself. Two soldiers were killed in a gun battle and the army backed off.

Kim ordered more troops in and they eventually gained control of the fishing grounds. Soon after, Jang's two top lieutenants were captured and executed. The two men were killed in front of a firing squad that used anti-aircraft machine guns.

Having his forces humiliated was the last straw. When it's business, Kim doesn't mess around. Guess that's why Rodman's sponsors for the Gang Bang in Pyongyang pulled out.

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