North Korea has addressed South Korea’s wildfire crisis for the first time, emphasizing the dangers of natural disasters.
On Thursday, the ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, cited data from a European Union meteorological agency, reporting that South Korea had released 2,345,180 metric tons of carbon dioxide due to wildfires from the beginning of the year through March 25. This figure is 1.75 times the total wildfire-related CO₂ emissions recorded for all of last year.
The report added that experts warn these emissions will further accelerate climate change.
The same edition of Rodong Sinmun also covered natural disasters in other regions, including hailstorms and severe weather events in Canada and the United States.
Earlier, on Tuesday, North Korea issued its first-ever wildfire risk alert nationwide, citing strong spring winds that increase wildfire dangers. The alert was in effect from March 29 to April 3 for areas including Pyongyang, South and North Pyongan Provinces, and Nampo, while South and North Hwanghae Provinces and South and North Hamgyong Provinces were under warning until March 31.
In South Korea, a wildfire that broke out on March 21 in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, spread rapidly, burning an area nearly 80% the size of Seoul and claiming 30 lives, marking one of the country’s worst wildfire disasters in history.