In July, floods swept through North Korea. Heavy rains drenched around 4,100 houses and over 7,000 acres of farmland. It’s hard to know exact numbers, but an estimated 1,000 people died because of the downpour. Still, the government chose not to relax its authoritarian control even in the face of disaster.
In Western countries like the United States, people can get help from many groups besides the government. But there aren’t many nonprofits in North Korea. North Korea closed its borders in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, making it difficult for nonprofits like the Red Cross to get supplies.
After the heavy downpour, Kim Jong Un, the “supreme leader,” brought to the capital thousands of North Koreans who had lost homes. He planned to bring 15,000 displaced people to Pyongyang. Kim refused all offers of help from nearby countries like China and South Korea.
The government owns the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The agency spoke on behalf of the government, saying Kim refused emergency help because he believes in the strength of the North Korean people.
But that probably isn’t the real reason for North Korea’s resistance. Olivia Enos, a researcher with the Hudson Institute, says that North Koreans are encouraged to trust only their government. “The communist system is designed to make it so that from cradle to grave, you're dependent on the government,” says Enos.
Communism is a system that promises every person an equal share of provisions and security. That sounds good in theory. But history shows that communist leaders and their supporters grow wealthy and more powerful while workers and innovators experience poverty and repression.
Kim must preserve the impression that North Korea has as much comfort, opportunity, and freedom as any other nation. To keep up appearances, the state controls television stations, radio, internet, and who gets to cross its borders.
What is North Korea’s plan to help flood victims? The burden of rebuilding will fall mainly to North Koreans. At the end of July, troopers from the Paekustan Hero Youth Shock Brigade were sent to repair the damage. North Korea’s shock troopers are similar to military soldiers. But the job isn’t quite as respected, and troopers are paid about half as much as a regular worker. The government hadn’t given the shock troopers food or housing materials. Brigade members stole from local homes and built temporary lodging from lumber that had been swept away by flood.
Why? Understanding what makes for an unhealthy government can give us tools to hold leaders to a higher standard.
