North Korean leader visits flood

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a flood-hit village in North Hwanghae Province in the country's southwest for the second time in a month to check on recovery efforts, state media said Saturday.

Kim inspected reconstruction at the flood-ravaged Taechong-ri area in Unpha County and "acquainted himself with the progress and plan of the reconstruction," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

This was the second time in about a month that Kim has visited the village. The previous one came in early August after torrential rain led to the failure of a levee that left more than 900 homes flooded or destroyed and 600 hectares of rice fields inundated.

The trip was seen as part of efforts by Kim to highlight his image as a leader who cares about the livelihood of ordinary people. During last month's visit, Kim ordered officials to send his own special stock of grain to the flood victims and facilitate the use of necessary supplies.

On Saturday, the KCNA said Kim expressed his happiness with the progress of the recovery efforts.

"Such a village that has taken its shape as a fairyland within a short period of merely over 30 days is a miracle which can be created by only the service personnel of the Korean People's Army (KPA)," Kim was quoted as saying.

Kim also called on officials and workers in agriculture to "redouble efforts to minimize the damage to crops and increase their yield in a consistent and responsible way."

Hwanghae Province is the country's major rice-producing region.

Officials were "immensely encouraged" by Kim's field guidance at the site and vowed once again to finish reconstruction there before the Oct. 10 founding anniversary of the Worker's Party, the KCNA said.

"Our party has faced trouble and distress at the great damage caused by the recent series of heavy rain and typhoons but it will readily face the trouble and will take every possible measure for the sake of the great people and repay their great trust without fail," Kim was quoted as saying.

The North has been hit by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks, with the latest one, Haishen, lashing the country's eastern regions. Last month, heavy rainfall also pounded North Hwanghae Province.

Kim has visited the flood-hit regions of Hwanghae and Hamgyong provinces, and last week presided over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party to discuss damages in the eastern mining region in South Hamgyong Province from Typhoon Maysak. (Yonhap)

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