Kim Jong-un slams officials as 'irresponsible' over typhoon damage

Seoul, Aug 14

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has berated local officials as being "irresponsible" and "insensitive" over their failure to prevent damage from typhoon Khanun that recently swept through the Korean Peninsula, state media said on Monday.

Kim made the remarks during a visit to Anbyon county, Kangwon province, where river banks were toppled and some 200 hectares of farmland were flooded due to heavy rains brought by last week's typhoon, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Khanun plowed through South Korea for 16 hours on August 17 and dissipated after reaching the vicinity of Pyongyang the next morning, according to Seoul's weather agency.

"He 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 organisations in the region," the KCNA said.

Kim said the region suffered more serious damage than other typhoon-hit areas as provincial officials were "insensitive" to state measures, and he instructed the officials to bolster the government's response to natural disasters.

Before Khanun hit the country, the North had called for all-out efforts to minimise the potential damage, saying the regime's economy could be dealt a blow should it lack preparation.

In a rare move, the North's official Korean Central TV aired news alerts late into the night in an overnight broadcast on August 17.

It also ran a night-time weather program when typhoon Bavi hit the country in 2020.

North Korea is seen as vulnerable to natural disasters due to its lack of infrastructure. In the past, heavy rains left thousands of people displaced in the impoverished country.