Over 5K Rescued After North Korea Floods

More than 5,000 individuals in northwestern North Korea have been rescued following severe flooding caused by heavy summer rains, state media reported Monday. The swollen river on the Chinese border prompted the evacuation of stranded residents in Sinuiju city and Uiju town. Approximately 10 military helicopters, along with navy and government boats, were deployed for the mission. Around 4,200 people benefited from airlifts, per the Korean Central News Agency. The report did not specify casualties or the full extent of the damage inflicted by the flooding.

Leader Kim Jong Un was credited for overseeing the rescue operations personally, as reported by the KCNA. During his visit, Kim praised the efforts as "miraculous" and insisted on providing immediate necessities like food to the affected individuals. This portrayal likely aims to depict Kim as a capable leader.

However, Kim also criticized officials for their lack of preparedness, accusing them of "only expecting chance from the sky." He emphasized the failure to protect against floods was due to their defeatist attitude. Additionally, he pointed out that due to the emergency response agency's and the Ministry of Public Security's lack of accurate population data, the number of rescued individuals surpassed initial estimates. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)