North Korea executed several government officials after extensive flooding in late July killed thousands of people in the northern region of the country. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to TV Chosun, reports UNN.
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About 20 to 30 regional government officials in the flood-hit area were shot dead last month, TV Chosun reported, citing an unnamed South Korean government official. The devastating floods may have killed up to several thousand people in the worst-hit area in Chagang province, the cable reported.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service is closely monitoring the situation after receiving intelligence related to the events, an intelligence agency spokesman said by telephone without going into details. South Korea's Unification Ministry, which is responsible for relations with North Korea, declined to comment.
Kim Jong Un told an extraordinary party meeting in late July that he would severely punish those who had “seriously neglected” their duties and were therefore responsible for the casualties. North Korea's propaganda apparatus circulated photos of Kim overseeing rescue efforts after the disaster, but did not report any deaths.
The downpours damaged about 4,100 homes, flooded roads and railroad tracks and destroyed about 3,000 hectares (7,410 acres) of farmland in the city of Sinyiju, a commercial center linked to China by a bridge, and nearby Uiju county, North Korean state media reported. About 5,000 people were rescued, the official Korean Central News Agency said.
The flood damage was more extensive further north in Chagang province, which borders China and is home to the upper and middle reaches of the Yalujiang River, known as the Amnok River in Korea, according to TV Chosun. Some bodies were found during soil clearing work after water levels subsided, South Korean media reported.