China lost an important link to North Korea's leadership with the purge of Jang Song Thaek, and may have published the account in Wen Wei Po to express its displeasure.
From the Strait Times:
According to the report ... Jang was stripped naked and thrown into a cage, along with his five closest aides. Then 120 hounds, starved for three days, were allowed to prey on them until they were completely eaten up. This is called "quan jue", or execution by dogs.
The Strait Times report is from December 24 but is being reported widely today.
It is the latest surprising anecdote involving Kim, who has acted belligerently since taking over as Supreme Leader at the end of 2011.
Kim reportedly executed allies of his powerful uncle by firing squad of antiaircraft machine guns over a business dispute.
In August a major South Korean newspaper reported that North Korean singer Hyon Song-wol, known as Kim's ex-girlfriend, had reportedly been executed by a firing squad.