A top North Korean military official is believed to be receiving medical treatment in the North, a source familiar to the North's affairs said Thursday, as he has not recently been seen at public events.

Hwang Pyong-so, director of the general political bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA), appears to be receiving treatment in North Korea as he has some problems with his spine, according to the source.

It is believed that he visited Singapore last year to undergo surgery on his spine.

Hwang was not included on an entourage list for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when he recently observed flight drills by the North's Air Force.

His absence from the public eye has spawn speculation that he may be preparing to carry out provocations against South Korea following the North's latest nuclear and long-range rocket tests.

Meanwhile, Choe Ryong-hae, a senior North Korean party official, is also believed to be suffering from a spine-related disease and undergoing treatment, according to a separate source.

Choe, a secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, returned to the public eye last month following a three-month hiatus.

He is thought to have received re-education at a rural farm as punishment for his mishandling of a newly built hydroelectric power plant project.

"As Hwang and Choe are known as suffering from non-life threatening diseases, they are likely to resume their activities soon after medical treatment," the source said.

The sudden disappearance of North Korean officials is usually viewed by outside analysts as being linked to a possible purge or punishment. (Yonhap)