Seoul, Aug 14 (EFE).- North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un criticized regional officials for their “irresponsible work attitude” in failing to take preventive measures against Typhoon Khanun, which left crop fields flooded in the country, state media reported Monday.

An undated photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 14 August 2023 shows a typhoon-hit area during a visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Ogye-ri, Anbyon County of Kangwon Province, North Korea. EFE-EPA/KCNA EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Kim made these remarks during a visit to typhoon-hit areas in Ogye-ri, Anbyon County of the northern Kangwon province, North Korean news agency KCNA reported.

The North Korean dictator pointed out that “200-odd hectares of farmlands in Ogye-ri of Anbyon County were flooded, entirely due to extremely chronic and irresponsible work attitude of agricultural guidance organs and Party organizations in the region,” KCNA said.

The ruling Workers’ Party of Korea “has strongly called upon all sectors and units to take decisive steps for strengthening the anti-damage measure and counter-crisis capability while making the occurrence of natural disaster every year a fait accompli and continued the work for assigning relevant instruction” Kim said.

“But the officials of the region were insensitive to the state measures and took no measure and, as a result, the region suffered much damage than other regions,” he added.

He also stressed the “need for all regions and units to quickly find out dangerous locations and take measures for preventing damage in advance.”

Before Khanun’s arrival in North Korea, state media had announced the implementation of measures to prevent the typhoon from having a negative impact on the country’s economy or armed forces while also urging people to exercise extreme caution.

The exact extent of the damage caused by the storm, which left more than 360 facilities damaged or flooded and two people dead in neighboring South Korea before its entry into the North, is unknown.

The lack of infrastructure makes the impoverished and isolated country even more vulnerable to extreme weather events such as torrential rains and floods, which in previous years have displaced thousands of people and worsened its food crisis. EFE

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