NIS: "North Korea's Large-Scale Flooding Is Man-Made... Increase in Defectors"

"Russia Likely to Send Relief Supplies to North Korea Soon"
"Defections Increase but Still Fewer Than During Kim Jong-il Era"

Intelligence authorities recently assessed the flood disaster in the Yalu River basin in North Korea as a man-made disaster. They also reported to the National Assembly that the number of defectors has increased following the spread of COVID-19.

On the 28th, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) stated at the full meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee that regarding the flood in the northern region of North Korea, "China installed about a 2.5m high steel flood barrier centered around Dandong (丹東), but North Korea only built an earthen embankment about 1m high," adding, "When floods and heavy rains coincide with high tide on the west coast, most of the damage inevitably flows into North Korea."

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un inspecting flood-affected areas including Pyonganbuk-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The NIS added, "(The flood itself is) seen as a natural disaster, but in reality, it has the characteristics of a man-made disaster due to the complete lack of prevention measures against floods and heavy rains."

Regarding flood relief support, they said, "We are closely monitoring as relief supplies are expected to arrive soon from Russia," and predicted that international organizations and China would not provide relief supplies.

Additionally, the NIS explained about the defection trend, "The number of defectors has increased significantly compared to the COVID-19 period," but "it is relatively small compared to the Kim Jong-il era." They also stated, "The defections of overseas diplomatic missions or foreign currency earners cannot be seen as immediate indicators of regime change or instability, but we are monitoring the trend."