North Korea recently spotlighted the actions of a helicopter Squadron Leader, Kim Myeon Hu, who led a successful rescue operation in the flood-hit areas of North Pyongan Province. The state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, has lauded him as a model leader for Party officials.
On Tuesday, the newspaper featured Kim Myeon Hu, who was honored with the title “Hero of the Republic” for his role in the rescue mission. According to the report, on July 28, Kim Myeon Hu received an urgent directive from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to deploy helicopters to the flood-risk zones of Sinuiju and Uiju and rescue thousands of stranded residents. Kim Myeon Hu led the operation from Helicopter 1.
Kim Myeon Hu initially conducted reconnaissance flights and quickly realized that using a hoist to rescue people would be inadequate. He determined that landing the helicopter was necessary. The newspaper praised his decision-making, noting, “If he had executed his command formally and mechanically, merely delegating tasks after receiving reports, the outcomes might have been different.”
Kim Myeon Hu also took on the most dangerous location. At that time, a helicopter required about 40 to 50 meters of space to land, but the distance between the buildings was less than 30 meters. One crew member suggested leaving the task to the navy, but Kim Myeon Hu insisted, “We don’t have much time,” and attempted the landing. The newspaper reported that he miraculously succeeded in landing with only 1 meter of clearance between the helicopter’s rotor and the building walls.
Through this anecdote, the newspaper emphasized that “a single responsible official can either elevate or undermine a unit or group,” stating, “The differing results in executing tasks assigned by the Party are entirely due to the varying levels of responsibility and preparedness among officials.”
Furthermore, it reiterated Kim Jong Un’s statement that “the fundamental task in achieving national development is resolving the issue of officials; no matter how abundant the resources, if the officials are unprepared, we cannot expect national progress.” This underscores the importance of officials’ roles.
Last month, Kim Jong Un visited the Air Force helicopter unit to congratulate them, presenting the unit with a First-Class Order of Free Independence and awarding the commander the title of Republic Hero. General Secretary Kim Jong Un remarked that he “particularly appreciates the fighting spirit and high ideological worldview demonstrated by Squadron Leader Kim Myeon Hu,” adding that “our Party needs commanders who are field-oriented, capable, and action-oriented, as required by modern warfare.”
This article appears to promote Kim Myeon Hu as an exemplar for reviewing and establishing the work attitudes and discipline of other Party cadres.