North Korean leader rejects international aid for flood damage

Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has pledged to bring victims of recent heavy downpours to the capital city of Pyongyang to take care of them without outside help, the state media said on Saturday.

Kim made a two-day trip on Thursday and Friday to Uiju County in the northwestern province of North Pyongan to meet flood victims staying at a temporary shelter and offered support, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, Yonhap news agency reported.

He announced "an emergency system" to bring children, the elderly, disabled soldiers and mothers in North Pyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces to Pyongyang to provide support in the next two to three months until the reconstruction and repair of their homes are completed, saying about 15,400 people could be brought to the capital city.

"Childcare, edification and education are the primary state affairs never to be given up in any emergency situation," Kim was quoted as saying.

It marks Kim's second visit to flood-affected regions following his earlier trip last week.

Kim denounced South Korean media's reports on North Korea's severe flood damage as "fabrications" and "politically-motivated false propaganda," claiming the flood-stricken people are "all safe and well."

He thanked foreign countries and international organisations for offering humanitarian support but vowed to rehabilitate the flood damage without outside assistance.

"He (Kim) said what we regard as the best in all realms and processes of state affairs is the firm trust in the people and the way of tackling problems thoroughly based on self-reliance," the KCNA report said.

Over the past week, South Korea's Red Cross, the United Nations Children's Fund, as well as Russia and China offered to provide North Korea with relief supplies for flood damage, but the North has not responded to their offers.