North Korea is going to have more problems, and I feel sorry for its people.
Torrential storms have battered the country, especially in the southeast, destroying infrastructure, washing away soil, and killing hundreds of people. For a country that already struggles with food, this is a brutal blow. Analysts say they will require extra food aid for one or two years.
The North Korean government requested international assistance, and in a rare move, broadcast video footage to the outside world of affected areas.
According to the KCNA, Pukchang County received 672mm of rain (26.5 in.) over the course of six days. Some areas had a peak rate of 90mm (3.5 in.) per hour, devastating buildings and farmland.
To their credit, the KCNA didn’t let the national disaster hamper their daily bashing of South Korea’s Grand National Party, the United States, and Japan.
KCNA for August 14.