Pyongyang, Aug 8 (FN Bureau) As many as 300,000 people have responded to the call of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) for help in dealing with the aftermath of floods in northern North Korea, the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has said. “In less than a week after a decision was made by the Party to dispatch the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade to the housing construction in the flood-hit areas in the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County and the subsequent appeal by the Central Committee of the youth league, nearly 300,000 young people have volunteered to go to the areas of recovery from flood damage,” Kim was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the state-run KCNA news agency.
Speaking at a ceremony for dispatching the restoration teams, the North Korean leader extended warm greetings to the parents of the young people who “sent their dear sons and daughters to the grand construction sites without hesitation” and thanked North Korea’s Socialist Patriotic Youth League, which had “inspired many young people to volunteer through an earnest appeal.” In late July, KCNA reported that Kim had visited flood-hit areas on the border with China and personally supervised the rescue and evacuation of residents. Some 4,200 people were transported by helicopters and watercraft. At an extended emergency meeting of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, it was decided to send soldiers and party members to deal with the aftermath of the floods, to quickly restore destroyed roads and public buildings, and to build new housing for 4,400 people.