North Korea's Kim Jong Un calls for relief campaign in rain-hit areas: Report

Amid concerns over economic crisis and food shortage, North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un mobilised the military to carry out relief work in areas recently hit by heavy rains. According to state media KCNA, an early monsoon season had arrived on the Korean Peninsula last month, with torrential rains. After the rains inflicted damage in some southern regions, Worker's Party's Central Military Commission held a meeting of its chapter in the eastern province of South Hamgyong to discuss recovery from the downpour. 

KCNA reported that Kim did not attend the meeting, however, party officials conveyed his message that the military should kick off a relief campaign and provide necessary supplies in the region. The media outlet said during the meeting it was emphasised that Kim called for “awakening and arousing” the party officials into waging the recovery campaign “skillfully and unyieldingly”. It added that the military commission explored emergency measures to rebuild the disaster-stricken areas, stabilise people's living, prevent the coronavirus and minimise crop injuries.

Flood, food shortage in North Korea 

It is worth mentioning that more than 1,100 homes had been damaged, thousands had been evacuated, and roads and farms had been washed away, following days of heavy rains and flooding. It rained heavily in North and South Hamgyong province, according to state broadcaster KRT. Homeowners had their roofs flooded, and bridges and dikes had been destroyed. In North Hamgyong, the National Hydro-Meteorological Administration's deputy director Ri Yong Nam said there had been more than 500 millimetres of rain from Sunday through Tuesday, August 3, whereas in South Hamgyong there had been above-average rainfall.

This comes at a time when North Korea, which is cut off from most foreign imports and aid due to self-imposed border restrictions and international sanctions, is becoming increasingly concerned about crop damage and the possible impact on food supplies. Back in June, Kim had also said that they faced a "tense" food situation, and much of its future depends on this year's harvests. As part of efforts to prevent damage from flooding, state media have shown work on staking down dikes and improving bridges, ditches, and other infrastructure. The South Korean Foreign Minister and the United States Secretary of State discussed humanitarian aid to North Korea in a phone call on Friday, August 6, both offices announced in a statement.

(Image: AP)