North Korean leader Kim Jong un has allegedly ordered the execution of 20 to 30 officials. This action is reportedly due to their failure to prevent severe flooding and landslides during the past summer, which led to the tragic deaths of around 4,000 individuals. This information has been reported by South Korean media.
According to a report by South Korea’s Chosun TV, citing a North Korean official, it was reported that Kim Jong Un strongly demanded “strict punishment” for those individuals who were deemed responsible for the “unacceptable loss” of life resulting from the recent flooding. The report also indicated that officials faced charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. These severe actions reportedly culminated in a series of executions that took place late last month.
The identities of the officials who were executed have not been revealed. Still, according to the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kang Bong-hoon, who has been serving as the secretary of the Chagang Province Provincial Party Committee since 2019, was one of the leaders removed from their positions by Kim Jong-un.
In July, North Korea experienced devastating rainfall that led to landslides and widespread flooding, impacting more than 4,000 homes and displacing 15,000 residents. Kim Jong Un personally toured the affected areas and expressed that significant time and effort would be required to reconstruct and rehabilitate the neighbourhoods that were completely submerged by the floods. The government took action by providing shelter in Pyongyang facilities for 15,400 individuals, which included special provisions for vulnerable groups such as mothers, children, the elderly, and disabled soldiers.
Kim Jong Un Accused South Korea
The North Korean leader vehemently refuted the reports of a significant death toll resulting from the flooding, categorizing the claims as baseless “false rumours.” He directly accused South Korea of intentionally disseminating these rumours as part of a calculated “smear campaign” aimed at tarnishing North Korea’s global standing.
This isn’t the first time Kim has reportedly ordered executions over perceived failures. In 2019, there were reports that Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea’s nuclear envoy to the US, was executed for failing to secure a summit between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump. However, it was later revealed that Chol was merely in state custody
Lee Il-gyu, a former North Korean diplomat at the International Korean Peninsula Forum, expressed concerns about the recent flood damage. He mentioned that the affected individuals were dismissed for social security reasons, and he also noted that the executives themselves are anxious, fearing uncertainty about their future.
According to the Korea Times, North Korea’s public executions have surged dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the country typically saw around 10 public executions per year. However, that number has skyrocketed to approximately 100 annual public executions, representing a tenfold increase.
