Last month, the North Korean state news agency KCNA announced that Jang Song-thaek had been executed, but didn't provide any details about the manner of execution.
A report in a Chinese newspaper subsequently claimed that Jang had been fed to 120 hungry dogs. But, as many people suspected, that's probably not true.
In a rare interview with Sky News, North Korea's ambassador to the UK Hyun Hak-bong said that Jang was put on trial and confessed to what he did wrong.
"According to the laws by the criminal court he was sentenced to death. Well he was shot to death," Hyun said.
Hyun added that the country had "pardoned him on several occasions when he made wrongdoings in the past." Jang reportedly "abused his power" by spending too much money and hindering the national economy.
Hyun also said a report by South Korea's state news agency alleging that Kim ordered the execution of his uncle's entire family was "political propaganda by our enemies" and that it was fabricated. The news agency, Yonhap, is known for its anti-North Korean bias.