North Korean authorities have announced that the results of an “evaluation” focused on how well monsoon cleanup efforts are going in each province will be announced in early September, Daily NK has learned.
According to a source in North Hamgyong Province yesterday, North Korean authorities have already dispatched officials from Pyongyang to each province to create committees focused on cleaning up damage from the rains.
These committees, which are operating out of provincial people’s committee buildings, are reporting to the central government on the level of damage sustained in each province while also providing daily and weekly reports on the progress of cleanup efforts across different regions of the country.
According to the source, North Korean authorities have threatened punishments against the three provinces that “score the lowest” in the upcoming evaluation.
“The government has stated that any failure to conduct cleanup efforts is due to the irresponsibility of party officials,” the source said. “They are also pointing to the irresponsibility of party officials in cases where preemptive measures were not taken to prevent damage by the rains.”
The source pointed out, however, that some North Hamgyong Province People’s Committee officials are complaining that there are shortages of “everything,” including supplies and equipment for the cleanup efforts. They have reportedly been taken aback by the central government’s move to place blame on them.
Despite this frustration with the government, North Hamgyong Province officials are reportedly “working hard” to avoid having their province end up as one of the three lowest ranking provinces in the evaluation.
Officials at the municipal, county and provincial levels have reportedly been working around the clock at their offices or making on-site visits to areas severely damaged by the storms.
As part of these efforts, local officials have been dispatched to the April 15 Tobacco Farm in Onsong County to ensure that tobacco production continues as normal. The officials are reportedly ensuring that roads heading to the tobacco farm are being repaired so that trucks filled with coal can make it to the farm.
Coal is used to power tobacco leaf drying machines that ensure harvested tobacco leaves stay fresh during the humid rainy season.
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