Daily US Times: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has mobilised his country’s military to carry out relief work in areas recently hit by heavy rains and floods. The North Korean state media reported on Sunday amid concerns over an economic crisis and food shortage.
The official KCNA news agency said that the ruling Worker’s Party’s Central Military Commission held a meeting of its chapter in the eastern province of South Hamgyong to discuss damage and recovery from the downpour.
Kim Jong Un didn’t attend the meeting but party officials conveyed his message that the military should start a relief campaign and provide necessary supplies in the region.
“It was also emphasised that he called for awakening and arousing the (party) officials…into waging the recovery campaign skilfully and unyieldingly,” KCNA said.
The state run news agency didn’t specify the extent of damage caused by the heavy rain but said the military commission explored emergency measures to stabilise people’s living, rebuild the disaster-stricken areas, prevent the coronavirus and minimise crop injuries.
The meeting came amid concerns over a crisis in the country that has already been dogged by tons of international sanctions, aimed at curbing its nuclear and other destructive weapons programmes.
In June, the North Korean dictator said the country faced a “tense” food situation, citing the pandemic and last year’s typhoons.
South Korea’s central bank recently said the North’s economy suffered its biggest contraction in 23 years in 2020.
North Korea has not confirmed any coronavirus infections but halted trade, imposed strict prevention measures, closed borders, seeing the pandemic as an issue of national survival. read more
Last week, South Korean lawmakers said that North Korea needed some one million tonnes of rice, with emergency and military reserves running out.
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