Kim Jong Un criticises officials for their insensitivity during the flood aftermath.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has reprimanded officials for their “irresponsible” actions in failing to prevent the damage caused by tropical storm Khanun, which swept through the country last week. The storm initially battered Japan before moving across North Korea, leading to heavy rainfall. During a visit to flooded farmlands in Anbyon County, Kim Jong Un criticised local officials for what he termed an “extremely chronic and irresponsible work attitude,” which he stated had exacerbated the damage in that region, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Reported by the KCNA, Kim Jong Un stated, “The officials of the region were insensitive to the state measures and took no measures, and, as a result, the region suffered much more damage than other regions.”
In response to the storm’s impact, North Korea launched a proactive campaign to address the abnormal climate conditions and sought to implement measures to mitigate the destruction. Interestingly, this situation unfolded shortly after Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection tour of major munitions factories. During this tour, he directed a significant increase in the production of missiles and other weaponry, a move that coincided with the commencement of annual military drills by South Korea and the US.
Kim Jong Un’s visits to factories that manufacture tactical missiles, mobile launch platforms, armored vehicles, and artillery shells were documented by KCNA. In particular, he expressed the desire to substantially enhance the production capacity of the missile facility to enable mass production of missiles.
Emphasising the pivotal role of the munitions industry in war preparations, Kim Jong Un underscored, “The qualitative level of war preparations depends on the development of the munitions industry, and the factory bears a very important responsibility in speeding up the war preparations of the (North) Korean People’s Army.”
He further emphasised North Korea’s need to possess an overwhelming military force and be fully prepared to confront any potential conflict, ensuring the capability to “surely annihilate” its adversaries.
Kim Jong Un’s mixed agenda of responding to natural disasters while also focusing on military preparations highlights the complex and multifaceted challenges faced by North Korea’s leadership.
