Kim Jong Un, North Korea's leader, may have ordered the execution of around 30 government officials following catastrophic floods and landslides, according to a Hindustan Times report. Citing South Korea's Chosun TV, the report said that the executions reportedly stemmed from the officials' failure to prevent the deaths of over a thousand people during these natural disasters.
Heavy rains and landslides recently struck Chagang Province causing numerous deaths, injuries and leaving many people homeless in July. The exact number of deaths remains unconfirmed, but South Korean media suggests the toll could exceed 1,000.
According to the Chosun TV report, the North Korean authorities had pledged to take action against those who allegedly did less to prevent the loss of lives during the deadly floods.
The executions reportedly took place late last month.
Although due to North Korea's extreme secrecy, the details of the report remain difficult to verify.
However, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did report that Kim Jong Un presided over an emergency Politburo meeting in Sinuiju, where he ordered authorities to "strictly punish" officials who neglected their disaster prevention duties, leading to what he described as "unacceptable" casualties.
The floods severely impacted Chagang Province, near the border with China causing widespread devastation.North Korean state media reported that heavy rains flooded over 4,100 houses, submerged 7,410 acres of agricultural land, and damaged numerous public buildings, roads, and railways in Sinuiju and Uiju.
Investigations are ongoing into the actions of Kang Bong-hoon, the dismissed Chagang Province Party secretary and former deputy director of the Munitions Industry Department, who was known to have accompanied Kim Jong Un during on-site inspections.
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