North Korea has emphasized the need for thorough flood prevention measures in response to the summer monsoon season and approaching typhoons.
On Monday, the Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that expanded meetings of Pyongyang city and provincial party committees were held from July 3 to 6th to implement decisions made at the 12th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee.
The newspaper stated that these meetings aimed to mobilize party members and workers for a grand march to commemorate the party’s 80th anniversary and the 9th Party Congress. Key issues discussed included rural housing construction and the operation of local industrial factories.
Notably, the meetings also stressed measures against extreme weather events.
According to the newspaper, the plenary session discussed strategies to minimize damage from severe weather and achieve grain production targets set by the party through the use of scientific farming methods.
North Korea is currently focused on disaster preparedness, issuing heavy rain warnings for parts of the North Pyongan, Chagang, and South Pyongan provinces. This year’s emphasis on thorough preparation likely stems from the major flooding along the Yalu River in July.
During that event, heavy rainfall caused the Yalu River to overflow, flooding homes, farmland, roads, and railways in Sinuiju City and Uiju County, resulting in significant casualties.
Kim Jong Un stated that the loss of life was unacceptable and personally inspected the flooded areas multiple times using an SUV and a rescue boat.
With the monsoon front moving north earlier than expected this year, North Korean media has been urging officials and residents to remain vigilant against heavy rainfall. On July 3, Rodong Sinmun emphasized that unpreparedness and incompetence stem from officials’ lack of responsibility and crisis awareness, as well as ideological laxity. It warned that prioritizing production over disaster prevention could lead to irreparable consequences.
According to the South Korean Ministry of Unification, North Korea has recently restructured its State Emergency Disaster Committee into a Disaster Prevention Ministry.
On July 3, North Korean state television showed employees from the new ministry working in a crisis response center to implement flood prevention measures.
The South Korean Ministry of Unification believes North Korea has elevated the existing committee to a ministry-level organization to centralize responsibility and authority in disaster management.