1 month ago
22
Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to offer humanitarian aid to North Korea as the country struggles to deal with the devastating floods which have destroyed thousands of home. However, North Korean supreme leader maintained that he would ask for help ‘if aid is necessary’ read more
 "Russia pledges humanitarian aid to North Korea amid floods; Kim says, 'will ask for help if necessary'")
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un visit the Vostochny Сosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, on 13 September, 2023. File Image / Reuters
As North Korea continues to reel through the devastating floods, Russia has pledged to provide humanitarian assistance to the hermit nation. The harrowing floods have damaged thousands of homes and caused an unknown number of casualties in the country.
While North Korea keeps mum on the death toll in the region, its archnemesis South Korea has said that the number has already surpassed 1,500. Amid the chaos, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered condolences over the matter and assured that Moscow would provide humanitarian aid to the region.
“I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to all those who lost their loved ones as a result of the storm,” Putin said in a telegram to Kim, adding “You can always count on our help and support”. The downpour which commenced on 27 July has managed to submerge swathes of farmland in the north near China.
Kim responds to Putin
According to the North Korean news outlet KCNA, the hermit nation’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un thanked Putin for the offer. However, he maintained that his government “has already taken measures to conduct recovery work” and assured that he would ask for help “if aid is necessary”.
As per the state media reports, the heavy rains have already flooded more than 4,000 homes and isolated 5,000 residents. The help from Russia came a day after the North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un accused the South Korean media of spreading misinformation about the damages and casualties from the floods.
The remarks from Pyongyang came days after Seoul reached out to the country to offer humanitarian aid. Earlier this week, the South Korean government said that it was willing to “urgently provide” humanitarian assistance to “North Korean disaster victims” following reports in local media that the toll of dead and missing could number 1,500.
In response to this, Kim dismissed the reports and lambasted the neighbouring nation for “spreading the false rumour that the human loss … is expected to be over 1,000 or 1,500." According to KCNA, Kim said that the flooding reports constituted a South Korean “smear campaign to bring disgrace upon us and tarnish” the North’s image.
Meanwhile, North Korea and Russia have been strong allies since the founding of Pyongyang after the second world war. However, the two nations have ramped up their diplomatic and security ties as Moscow continues to remain embroiled in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In recent months the leaders of both nations visited each other’s countries and signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” pact in June. The whole exchange has raised concerns among the West.
With inputs from agencies.
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English (US) ·