Russia has promised to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea after the country was hit by severe floods that damaged thousands of homes and left an unknown number of casualties. South Korean reports suggest that the number of dead or missing could be as high as 1,500.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences and offered assistance after a massive downpour on 27 July submerged large areas of farmland in North Korea near China. He assured North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that Russia is ready to provide help and support.
North Korea has reported that heavy rains have caused flooding in the north-western areas, damaging over 4,000 homes and leaving 5,000 residents isolated. Kim Jong-un personally inspected the affected areas and thanked Putin for the aid offer.
However, Kim stated that North Korea has already taken measures to conduct recovery work and would ask for assistance only if necessary. He also criticized South Korean media for allegedly spreading rumors about the extent of the damage and casualties caused by the floods. South Korea, on the other hand, has expressed willingness to urgently provide humanitarian aid to North Korean disaster victims.
The recent floods have strained relations between the two Koreas, with North Korea accusing South Korean media of spreading false information to tarnish the North’s image. Despite this, Russia has pledged to continue supporting North Korea, with whom they have strengthened ties in recent months.
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