DPRK Premier Visits Flood Damage in N. Pyongan

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim inspects flood damage in North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported on 23 August (Thursday) that Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim visited Hyangsan and Kujang Counties in North P’yo’ngan Province, which have saw widespread damage due to flooding in June and July.  According to KCNA, Choe “praised servicepersons for reconstructing main bridges and dykes to be stronger than before by introducing a new method of construction true to the intention of Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un to complete the operations to recover from the flood damage at the earliest possible date. He encouraged the railway workers in their drive to recover from flood damage. He learned about the living conditions of the people in the afflicted areas.”  Choe convened a meeting of local officials which “took practical measures calling on the Cabinet and other relevant units to produce and supply in time necessary materials and equipment for recovery and the counties to tap local reserves to the maximum and enhance the function and role of the field headquarters.”  KCNA reports:

Premier of the Cabinet Choe Yong Rim, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C. [Central Committee] of the Workers’ Party of Korea, inspected Hyangsan and Kujang Counties in North Phyongan Province to learn about the flood damage and the operations to recover from the damage.

The heavy rains hit the counties, breaking dykes of reservoirs and rivers, leaving hundreds of dwelling houses, public buildings, bridges, tourist and mountaineering roads and railway-beds destroyed and a large area of farmland totally submerged.

The premier praised servicepersons for reconstructing main bridges and dykes to be stronger than before by introducing a new method of construction true to the intention of Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un to complete the operations to recover from the flood damage at the earliest possible date. He encouraged the railway workers in their drive to recover from flood damage. He learned about the living conditions of the people in the afflicted areas.

He held consultative meetings of officials concerned on the spots.

The meetings discussed ways of preventing flood damage, the issues of determining a proper order of priority for recovery operations and scientifically designing land improvement under a long-term plan.

The premier said that even a tree and a blade of grass of the country is associated with the devoted services rendered by President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il to the Korean people. He stressed the need to carry out the recovery operations on the principle of not allowing even a slight damage.

It is necessary to ensure quality in all projects for recovery so that they may remain impeccable in the distant future, bearing deep in mind the noble patriotism of Kim Jong Un, he noted.

The consultative meetings took practical measures calling on the Cabinet and other relevant units to produce and supply in time necessary materials and equipment for recovery and the counties to tap local reserves to the maximum and enhance the function and role of the field headquarters.

Completion ceremony (R, foreground) for the renovation of Kim Hyong Jik University of Education campus in east Pyongyang on 16 August 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

Members of the DPRK central leadership tour a renovated classroom at Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, after a completion ceremony on 16 August 2012. Among those in this image are Mun Kyong Dok (L), VMar Kim Jong Gak (4th R), Choe Yong Rim (2nd R) and Choe Thae Bok (R) (Photo: KCNA)

On 17 August (Friday) Choe attended a ceremony at Kim Hyong Jik University of Education which marked the end of the university’s reconstruction and renovation work.  Following the completion ceremony, Choe toured the campus.  Also in attendance were Minister of the People’s Armed Forces, VMar Kim Jong Gak, Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Secretary of Education and Science Choe Tae Bok and Pyongyang City KWP Committee Chief Secretary, Mun Kyong Dok.  Also in attendance and delivering the keynote address was the DPRK Government’s leading education official, Vice Premier Kim Yong Jin.  In his speech, Kim Yong Jin framed the completion of the university’s renovation in the context of Kim Jong Un fulfilling some of his father’s final wishes.  The namesake of the institution is KJU’s paternal great-grandfather.  According to KCNA, Kim said, “the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un learned about the renovation time and again, and wisely led it for its earlier completion.  The soldier builders built best new school buildings and modern library with dedication and renovated the gymnasium and cultural hall as bases for all kinds of sports and popular performing activities.  They paved roads well and planted trees and land-creeping plants of good species in the campus, face-lifting the university.  Students also contributed to the completion of the project, true to the intentions of the party.”

KCNA reports:

Kim Hyong Jik University of Education has been successfully renovated as one of the country’s major bases for training talents in the field of education.

Five-storey and nine-storey school buildings and a library were newly built in a formative and artistic way. A gymnasium and cultural hall have also been renovated.

A completion ceremony took place on Friday.

Present there were Choe Yong Rim, Kim Jong Gak, Choe Thae Bok, Mun Kyong Dok, solider builders and teachers and students of the university.

Vice-Premier Kim Yong Jin in his address said:

In May last year leader Kim Jong Il took such a loving care as making sure that soldiers take charge of the construction of modern school buildings and library in the university.

His loving care represents noble outlook of President Kim Il Sung on posterity and the future. The President worked hard to build the first base for training teachers of the country in the period of building a new country after its liberation. He led the base at every step and personally wrote a signboard of the university on July 5, 1994 just before his demise, the vice-premier noted, adding:

The dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un learned about the renovation time and again, and wisely led it for its earlier completion.

The soldier builders built best new school buildings and modern library with dedication and renovated the gymnasium and cultural hall as bases for all kinds of sports and popular performing activities.

They paved roads well and planted trees and land-creeping plants of good species in the campus, face-lifting the university.

Students also contributed to the completion of the project, true to the intentions of the party.

After the ceremony, the participants looked round the buildings.

The central leadership has paid close attention to the construction work at KHYUE .  Choe visited the university’s renovation projects on 24 May 2012.  The university’s construction was also visited by VMar Choe Ryong Hae, director of the Korean People’s Army General Political Department (bureau), which was VMar Choe’s first solo inspection visit.