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Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, visited the flood-hit areas in the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County of North Phyongan Province on July 28.
He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won and Pak Thae Song, secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK.
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was greeted on the spot by Pak Jong Chon, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, the minister of National Defence and other commanding officers of the Korean People’s Army.
He guided the work for the rescue and evacuation of the inhabitants from the areas hit by a downpour and disaster-predicted areas.
On July 27, a record downpour struck the northern border of the DPRK and the areas of the Chinese side and the water level of the Amnok River far exceeded the danger line. This created a serious crisis, in which more than 5 000 inhabitants were isolated in the zones vulnerable to flooding in several island areas of the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County of North Phyongan Province.
Immediately after the crisis occurred, leading officials of the Party, government and military were dispatched rapidly to the spot and helicopters of the Air Force of the KPA and various kinds of lifeboats of the Navy and a maritime guard formation of the Border Guards were promptly committed to the operation for rescuing the inhabitants according to the assignment directly given by Kim Jong Un.
After arriving at an air base, where the rescue operation was under way, by driving along flooded rough roads, Kim Jong Un learned from commanding officers about the inhabitants in the flood-prone zones and the situation of the rescue operation.
He personally guided the operation, watching the whole course of the operation by ten-odd helicopters rescuing the inhabitants in the unfavourable weather conditions and emergency while making more than 20 rounds of consecutive shuttle flights.
The rescued people saw him waiting for them at the airport exposed to heavy rainstorm so unexpectedly and broke into cheers, shedding tears of deep gratitude and emotion.
Kim Jong Un instructed the regional Party organizations and power organs to offer medical assistance to the rescued people by enlisting all possibilities lest they should feel any slight inconvenience.
As he talked with commanding officers and pilots of the air unit, he heard the situation in the afflicted areas and repeatedly requested them to rescue everyone without fail. He also saw to it that reconnaissance flights were reorganized several times even in the areas where the rescue operation was completed.
He encouraged the pilots who successfully rescued more than 4 200 people and shook hands with every one of them. He said with pleasure that the helicopters’ rescue of so many people from the flooded areas in a little over a quarter of a day is an incredible miracle and a living example of air rescue operation and that it is a source of pride of our Party and state to have such excellent people’s Air Force and it is his honour to be the supreme commander of such an army.
He highly appreciated the amazing feats performed in the rescue operation, saying that the characteristics of the people’s Air Force faithful to its inherent mission were clearly demonstrated once again and that all the people across the country would feel grateful to the devoted efforts made by the Air Force and its spirit of unconditionally and death-defyingly serving the people.
In particular, the commander of a helicopter group fulfilled a difficult task for rescue flight in the van and possesses splendid capabilities and qualifications as a commanding officer, he said, adding delightedly that he has found out in a combat environment another excellent commanding officer to be emulated by the entire army. And he warmly encouraged him, patting him on the back.
He set forth the tasks and ways for concentrating all efforts on the rehabilitation and relief work to minimize the losses caused by the disaster and eradicate its aftermath as soon as possible and for taking timely measures aimed at preventing recurrence in the future.
Saying that the flood damage in the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County is very serious, he stressed that leading officials and forces at all levels in the capital city and regions should be mobilized ideologically and promptly in the rehabilitation project while giving top priority to the protection of people’s lives and property.
He said that primary attention should be paid to the medical prevention and treatment and the provision of living conditions for the flood victims to quickly stabilize their living and, in this regard, the Party and power organs in the relevant regions should supply relief goods including foods, medicines and daily necessities fully to the victims and console them, and that state support measures should be taken simultaneously.
He gave an instruction on convening an emergency meeting, saying that immediate steps should be taken to prevent further disasters as downpour is still expected in this region and full preparations made in advance to start taking permanent rehabilitation measures at once immediately after the danger of flooding has disappeared.
Some areas in the counties on the shore of the Amnok River in North Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces, including the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County, should be declared as special-level disaster emergency areas, and the Cabinet, commissions, ministries, national agencies, public security and armed forces organs and other institutions at all levels should turn out in the damage prevention and rehabilitation campaign with all their forces and equipment so as to quickly remove the damage and restore the order of production and life to a normal level, he said, adding that important measures will be taken to this end.
Noting that it is the most important and responsible task to take prior measures for preventing any accident rather than making haste for taking follow-up steps after its occurrence, he stressed the need for all regions and relevant sectors to remain alert on the highest level, so as to cope with the rainy season constantly bringing danger of flood damage, and pay the most primary attention to such undertakings for preventing the recurrence of flood damage as finding out and removing risk factors in advance, evacuating the inhabitants in a predictable and timely way and establishing a scientific flooding forecast and orderly information and control system.
It is important to take thoroughgoing rehabilitation measures, but I cannot but mention again the serious lesson taught by the present grave situation, he said, severely criticizing officials of relevant state organs and regions for their negligence of duty that caused the inevitable disastrous situation owing to their failure to take any flood prevention measures.
Noting that he has already stressed more than once that proper emergency response measures should be taken to prevent damage by downpour, flooding and typhoon, he said: I’ve already given a repeated warning to the irresponsible attitude to such serious practices on the part of officials. And the state repeatedly gave a precaution before the rainy season and the National Emergency Response Committee met on July 22, just a few days ago. But I can’t understand why officials at major posts are not yet on red alert with regard to the natural disaster prevention work. Their indolence and expediency have reached a very serious level.
Whenever they made a mistake, officials say they have realized its seriousness and will make redoubled efforts, but natural disasters still fail to be prevented, he said, adding: This is due to the fact that, seized with defeatism in the struggle against natural disaster, they have not turned out with confidence in the disaster prevention work, hoping for the best while making themselves reliant entirely on the weather. Consequently, though the National Emergency Response Committee has met on a regular basis and the emergency response committees were organized and have been operated in the capital city and provinces, they remain only in form, failing to play practical functions and roles.
Saying that as was revealed this time, disaster prevention institutions were helpless as they had secured no proper essential rescue means to be used in case of disaster and so, the army was compelled to be seconded to the rescue operation, he seriously pointed out that what could not be overlooked any longer is just the irresponsible and non-militant attitude of the public security organ responsible for thoroughly defending the life and security of the people.
The county emergency disaster response commanding group and the Ministry of Public Security caused a temporary confusion in the rescue operation due to their failure in properly grasping even the number of the people in the areas vulnerable to the disaster and the number of the people rescued by the KPA was much larger than the number they had reported, he noted, saying this clearly showed what a serious phase their irresponsibility reached in direct proportion to the miraculous successes made by the KPA in rescuing the lives of more than 5 000 people.
He said that it is a quite ignorant and dishonest attitude to leave the lives and property of the precious people and the wealth of the country to the mercy of nature, as seen through the current flood damage in some parts of the country. And he stressed that it is quite possible to prevent any accident, if the disaster prevention work is seriously accepted as a matter of attitude and viewpoint on service toward the state and people and an important political and ideological matter, not merely a campaign against natural disaster, and measures are taken with high alertness to foresee even the worst situation.
He stated that, through this opportunity, cautions are given to all Party and power organs across the country so as to prevent all manner of damage by the disastrous abnormal weather.