Seoul: North Korea has established a new ministry focused on emergency disaster management to enhance its response to natural calamities, as reported by South Korea's unification ministry on Friday. The creation of this new governmental body, currently referred to as the disaster prevention ministry, was first revealed through footage broadcasted by North Korea's state-run television network the day before, according to Seoul's ministry responsible for inter-Korean relations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the footage featured an interview with an official from the newly formed ministry, who emphasized the necessity of strengthening the country's crisis response capabilities across all levels. The official highlighted potential risks from natural disasters such as typhoons and floods as key reasons for this development. The unification ministry mentioned the likelihood that the existing State Emergency Disaster Committee, a Cabinet-level entity handling disaster management, might be transformed into the Disaster Prevention Ministry.
The North Korean government appears to have elevated the committee to a ministry-level agency due to concerns that responsibilities and authority are too dispersed at the committee level. North Korea's vulnerability to natural disasters is exacerbated by its inadequate infrastructure, with heavy rains often displacing thousands in the country.
In July of the previous year, heavy rains led to extensive flooding along the Amnok River in the North Phyongan, Jagang, and Ryangang provinces. While North Korea did not officially disclose casualty figures, South Korean media outlets reported that the death toll or number of those missing due to the floods likely exceeded 1,000.