North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un has reportedly ordered the execution of up to 30 officials for their failure to manage severe flooding that resulted in 4,000 deaths this summer.
According to TV Chosun, an official said that these officials were charged with corruption and neglect of duty, leading to their capital punishment which took place in August.
“It has been determined that 20 to 30 cadres in the flood-stricken area were executed at the same time late last month,” the official told the outlet.
The North Korean Central News Agency had earlier reported that Kim demanded harsh penalties for the officials after devastating floods hit Chagang Province in July, causing around 4,000 deaths and displacing over 15,000 people.
Last month, Kim visited the affected areas and met with residents, estimating that rebuilding would take several months. He also dismissed South Korean reports exaggerating the death toll.
The executed officials were not named, but it is known that Kang Bong-hoon, Secretary of the Chagang Province Provincial Party Committee since 2019, was among those dismissed during an emergency meeting held during the disaster.
Following the meeting with Kim, former North Korean diplomat, Lee Il-gyu told TV Chosun that officials in the province were “so anxious that they don’t know when their necks will fall off.”
This isn’t the first instance of Kim Jong Un ordering executions over reported failures.
In 2019, Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea’s nuclear envoy to the US, was allegedly executed for failing to secure a summit between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump.
KanyiDaily had also reported how Kim Jong Un banned North Korean people from wearing leather trench coats to stop citizens from emulating his fashion sense.