The North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun writes that officials responding to Tropical Storm Khanun will focus on protecting propaganda portraits of Kim Jong-un, his father Kim Jong-Il, and his grandfather and North Korea’s founder Kim Il-sung.
In addition to portraits, citizens are urged to protect statues, murals and other monuments to the Kim dynasty that has ruled North Korea since the country was founded in 1948.
On Friday, the state-run Rodong Sinmun wrote that “respected comrade Kim” said the people are more valuable than anything else – but the call to protect the propaganda remains.
Risking already fragile infrastructure
Natural disasters could have a devastating impact on already impoverished North Korea, where weak infrastructure and deforestation have increased its vulnerability to flooding, writes The Guardian.
North Korean state media reported that members of the military and ruling party had been ordered to prepare flood mitigation measures and save crops.
Very little information comes out of North Korea, as fewer manage to escape or make contact with the outside world. BBC managed during the summer to talk to three anonymous people in North Korea who testified about widespread food shortages and more extensive repression after the corona pandemic.
Caused landslides in South Korea
Tropical Storm Khanun has already caused flooding and landslides in South Korea, with one death reported and more than 16,000 people forced to evacuate their homes in the risk areas.