BY : Han Shin bi.
In recent days, North Korea has reported on state media, including Korean Central Television, that heavy rains concentrated in the North Pyongan Province have caused massive flood damage, and that Jong-un Kim had strongly criticized and replaced those responsible during an emergency extended meeting of the Politburo, mentioning the loss of life.
However, despite the severe loss of life and property among North Koreans due to the recurring heavy rains each year, Jong-un Kim continues to demonstrate his regime’s indifference to the people of North Korea, preferring to blame his subordinates for the disaster, including firing top officials rather than quickly recovering from the disaster, and rejecting offers of flood assistance from the international organization and South Korea.
Floods cause loss of life and property everywhere in the world. However, North Korea’s floods recur year after year and are entirely the responsibility of the North Korean regime, as they could be predicted and prevented if Jong-un Kim had the will to do so. North Korea’s flood damage, including its underdeveloped weather forecasting system and hastily and hurriedly constructed buildings, is a direct reflection of the Jong-un Kim’s regime’s lack of interest in the safety of its residents.
Jong-un Kim’s regime is more focused on preserving his regime than on the well-being and safety of his people, and is completely neglecting the civilian lives of North Koreans who are suffering from natural disasters such as flooding, as he focuses on nuclear and WMD development rather than recovery and prevention of flooding. While Jong-un Kim is obsessed with developing nuclear weapons, the North Korean regime’s theft, repression, and human rights abuses continue to intensify, causing further suffering among the people. With the destruction of the rationing system and the near-cutting off of food supplies, North Koreans’ livelihoods are deeply concerned as they are mobilized to propaganda campaigns of recovering from natural disasters.
Jong-un Kim seems more interested in creating an image of a “compassionate leader” through “showmanship” propaganda than in actually helping his people. This is especially true given that he continues to be unresponsive and actually rejects active offers of flood assistance from international organizations such as IFRC. On August 1, the South Korean government suggested humanitarian assistance to North Korea through the Korean Red Cross out of a sense of compatriotic love for the North Korean people. However, Jong-un Kim’s hostile stance on August 3, in which he denounced the South Korean government, suggests that he will not accept even a genuine offer of flood assistance for the North Korean people from the South Korean government.
Jong-un Kim should stop his meaningless site visits and showmanship and consider the path to people’s well-being and safety. By now, Jong-un Kim should stop being stubborn, and instead accept the South Korean government’s proposal and put energy for working to restore the lives of North Koreans devastated by the flooding.
