North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the execution of 20 to 30 officials for their alleged failure to prevent the severe flooding and landslides this summer, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of around 4,000 people, according to South Korean media.

Chosun TV, citing an unnamed North Korean source, revealed that Kim called for “strict punishment” for those deemed responsible for the “unacceptable loss” of lives. The officials were charged with corruption and negligence, with the executions reportedly carried out late last month.

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The source stated, “20 to 30 officials in the flood-affected region were executed simultaneously late last month.” While the identities of the executed were not disclosed, North Korea’s KCNA reported that Kang Bong-hoon, secretary of the Chagang Province Provincial Party Committee since 2019, was among those removed from their positions.

In July, heavy rainfall triggered widespread landslides and flooding across North Korea, destroying over 4,000 homes and displacing 15,000 residents. Kim Jong Un visited the disaster-hit areas, admitting that rebuilding would take several months.

The government also provided temporary shelters in Pyongyang for 15,400 individuals, including vulnerable groups such as mothers, children, the elderly, and disabled soldiers.

However, Kim denied reports of a high death toll, labeling them “false rumors” and accusing South Korea of spreading misinformation in a “smear campaign” against North Korea.

According to the Korea Times, public executions in North Korea have sharply increased since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number rising from about 10 per year to around 100 annually, a tenfold surge.