Kim Jong Un Criticizes Flood Recovery Efforts While Staying Silent on Russia Troops

While North Korea remains silent on South Korea’s claims of North Korean troop deployments to Russia, the regime’s propaganda has shifted its focus to highlight leader Kim Jong Un’s recent inspection of flood recovery efforts in Jagang Province.

On Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim had inspected the progress of the construction of residential buildings at the disaster recovery site. This marks Kim’s first visit to Jagang Province since the floods in July.

Kim said, “Some deviations underrating the structural quality have yet to be revealed and should be rectified.” He emphasized, “It is necessary to overcome even the slightest shortcomings perfectly and direct greater efforts to ensure perfection.”

He instructed that the lives of flood-affected residents and students staying in Pyongyang should not be disrupted. 

Following the floods at the end of July, North Korea declared emergency disaster zones in areas near the Amnok River, including North Pyongan, Jagang, and Yanggang provinces, and has been fully committed to recovery efforts. The government has assessed that Jagang Province suffered the most damage. While Kim had visited North Pyongan Province twice since the floods, his absence from Jagang had raised questions. Earlier this month, an official from South Korea’s Unification Ministry speculated that Kim may have avoided visiting Jagang due to concerns that his presence could complicate local recovery efforts given the extensive damage.

In addition to Kim’s visit, the Workers’ Party Central Committee has reportedly replaced the leadership overseeing the recovery efforts in Jagang Province. Kim’s criticism of construction quality suggests that these leadership changes were made to hold the original leaders accountable for the perceived shortcomings in the rebuilding process.