North Korea will not seek help from outside the country to recover from floods that have devastated areas near the country’s border with China, the North’s leader has said. Kim Jong Unwhile ordering officials to bring thousands of displaced residents to the capital to provide them with better care.

Kim said it will take about two to three months to rebuild homes and restore flood-affected areas. Until then, his government plans to house about 15,400 people – mothers, children, elderly and disabled soldiers – in facilities in Pyongyangas reported today by North Korea’s official Central News Agency.

The KCNA said Kim made the remarks during his two-day trip to the northwestern city Uiju order to meet flood victims and discuss recovery efforts. In fact, the country’s official Central News Agency praised Kim, saying the visit showed his “holy leadership” and “warm love and dedicated service to the people.”

State media reports said the heavy rains flooded 4,100 houses, 7,410 acres of farmland and many other public buildings, and damaged structures, roads and railways in the northwestern city of Sinuiju and the neighboring city of Uiju.

North Korea has not released information on deaths, but Kim has reportedly blamed public officials for neglecting disaster prevention.

It is recalled that the country’s traditional allies, Russia and China, as well as international organizations, have offered to provide basic necessities, but North Korea has not publicly expressed a desire to receive them.

“Expressing his thanks to various foreign countries and international organizations for offering humanitarian aid, Kim said what we consider best in all fields is firm trust in people and autonomous coping,” KCNA reported.

The North Korean leader had taken the same stance earlier in the week – after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered help – expressing his gratitude but saying the North had set up its own recovery plans and would only seek help from Moscow if needed. later.

Rival South Korea has also offered to send emergency supplies but it is highly unlikely that North Korea will accept its offer as tensions between the two countries are at their highest level in years due to the North’s growing nuclear ambitions and South Korea’s joint military exercises with the United States and Japan.

It is recalled that North Korea had also rejected South Korea’s offer of help during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022.

Some South Korean media say the damage from the floods is possibly greater than North Korean state media has reported, and that the death toll could exceed 1,000.