North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have ordered the execution of around 30 government officials for failing to prevent the deaths of over a thousand people during recent floods, according to reports from South Korean media. The flooding and landslides in Chagang Province resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, and widespread displacement.
North Korean authorities have reportedly vowed to take severe action against those who, it is alleged, could have done more to prevent the casualties, as reported by Chosun TV.
HT was unable to independently verify the accuracy of these claims. Due to the extreme secrecy of North Korea, it is difficult to confirm details, but the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim Jong Un ordered officials to be “strictly punished” after the devastating floods that hit Chagang Province, near the Chinese border, in July.
During an emergency Politburo meeting in Sinuiju, Kim Jong Un reportedly demanded severe punishment for those he accused of neglecting their disaster prevention duties, which led to “unacceptable casualties,” according to KCNA.
Investigations are ongoing into the conduct of Kang Bong-hoon, the dismissed Party secretary of Chagang Province, who previously served as a deputy director of the Munitions Industry Department and was known to accompany Kim Jong Un on inspections, according to the report.
The northwestern province experienced severe flooding in July, leaving thousands homeless and causing significant loss of life and injuries. South Korean media suggest that the death toll could surpass 1,000. North Korean state media reported that the heavy rain flooded 4,100 houses, 7,410 acres of farmland, and many public buildings, roads, and railways in Sinuiju and the neighboring town of Uiju.
