North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the execution of at least 30 government officials, including provincial governors, who were held responsible for the devastating floods that occurred over the summer, causing thousands of deaths. According to South Korea’s Chosun TV, the officials were sentenced to capital punishment last month due to their failure to prevent the flooding in affected areas.
The report cited a government source stating that 20 to 30 officials were executed simultaneously, with Chagang Province Party Secretary Kang Bong-hoon also being investigated for his role in the crisis. Many of these officials faced charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. A former North Korean diplomat highlighted the growing anxiety among the country’s leadership, with many fearing for their lives amidst the crackdown.
North Korea’s state media, KCNA, reported that Kim Jong Un had ordered authorities to “strictly punish” officials after the catastrophic floods hit Chagang Province, near the border with China, in July. While the extent of the punishment remains uncertain due to North Korea’s secrecy, it is believed that the heavy rains and subsequent flooding resulted in around 3,500 to 4,000 deaths, with thousands of houses and farmland destroyed.
North Korea has long been vulnerable to flooding due to inadequate infrastructure, deforestation, and poor drainage systems. The severe flooding in July left many residents displaced and living in temporary shelters.
In a separate development, Russian media reported that a company in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, has been granted permission to import beer produced in North Korea, signaling closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang amid ongoing geopolitical developments.
