Seoul, Aug 10 (EFE).- North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un promised to bring those affected by recent floods in the northwest of the country to the capital city, Pyongyang, in order to attend to them without having to accept outside help, state media reported Saturday.
Kim made a two-day trip between Thursday and Friday to Uiju county in North Pyongan province to meet flood victims living in temporary shelters, state news agency KCNA reported.
The North Korean leader announced that an «emergency system» had been activated to transfer some 15,400 people to the capital, mainly children, the elderly, disabled soldiers and women, to provide them with support during the next two to three months, until the reconstruction and repair work in the affected areas was completed.
«The issue of childcare, education and education is the first national issue that can never be compromised,» Kim said in a speech during the visit.
This is the second time that the North Korean leader has traveled to flood-hit regions, following another trip last week.
Kim once again slammed the information published in South Korean media about the serious damage caused by the rains in North Korea, which indicate that over 1,000 people had died, calling it «fabrications and political slander propaganda» and asserting that the affected population was safe and sound.
Kim also expressed his gratitude to several countries and international organizations for their offer of assistance, but vowed to repair the damage caused by the floods without outside help.
The North Korean leader believes that the best option is to deal with «problems based on firm faith in the people and thorough self-reliance,» KCNA said.
In recent weeks, the Korean Red Cross (headquartered in Seoul), the United Nations Children’s Fund, as well as the governments of Russia and China have offered to provide emergency supplies and other aid to North Korea in the face of the floods, but Pyongyang has not responded to their offers. EFE
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