According to South Korean media reports, after a large-scale flood in late July, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the execution of many government officials.
“TV Chosun,” a South Korean media outlet, cited an anonymous government official as saying that the North Korean authorities executed 20 to 30 officials last month in the flood-affected areas because these officials failed to prevent the deadly flood.
North Korea is an extremely closed-off country, making it difficult for the outside world to understand the detailed information about this incident.
The North Korean state-run news agency KCNA previously reported that after a disastrous flood near the Chinese border, Kim Jong Un ordered the authorities to “severely punish” officials.
In late July, unprecedented rainfall in Sinuiju City and Yiju County near the Chinese border resulted in over four thousand houses being submerged. The official reports described it as a “serious crisis.”
The reports also mentioned that about 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of farmland, along with many public buildings, facilities, and roads were flooded. This prompted the North Korean authorities to convene a two-day emergency meeting.
Kim Jong Un blamed government officials for neglecting disaster prevention work, leading to “unacceptable casualties.”
He further stated that those who were “seriously derelict in their duties” and caused casualties would be severely punished.
According to Bloomberg, a spokesperson for the South Korean National Intelligence Service stated in a phone call that after receiving intelligence related to the situation’s development, the department is closely monitoring the situation but did not disclose further details. The South Korean Unification Ministry, responsible for dealing with North Korean relations, declined to comment.