Kim Jong Un’s Brutality Hits New Heights: Executions Over Flood Damage?

 

Dictators Wrath: Kim Jong Un Punishes Officials for Mother Nature's Fury

     Jong Un is at it again. This time, his iron fist seems to be coming down hard on his own officials. North Korea’s infamous leader is reportedly executing top leaders for the sin of not controlling Mother Nature. That's right—he's blaming them for heavy rains and devastating floods that ravaged northern provinces earlier this year.

     According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, executions may already be underway, with people like Kang Pong-hun, the former chief secretary of Jagang Province, possibly on the chopping block.

     Now, let’s hit the brakes for a second. We’re talking about flood damage here, not a failed military coup or a botched assassination attempt. In North Korea, however, it seems the penalty for anything going wrong—whether it’s a famine, bad weather, or a missed lunch—is the same: heads will roll. Public Security Minister Ri Thae-sop, another senior official, also lost his post and may very well be fearing for his life right now.

     Kim Jong Un’s reign of terror is nothing new. His family’s history of brutal purges dates back decades, with a laundry list of executions that would make even the most hardened dictator blush. Remember when Kim had his own uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed in 2013? The man was practically a father figure, yet he was still sent to his death, supposedly devoured by hungry dogs (although that might be North Korean propaganda going the extra mile). And who could forget the mysterious death of Kim Jong Nam, his half-brother, who was assassinated in broad daylight at a Malaysian airport in 2017 with a deadly VX nerve agent? 

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     This latest round of purges shows that Kim’s playbook hasn’t changed. It’s all about deflection. Kim Jong Un can’t have the people thinking that he—or the flawed, crumbling system he presides over—is to blame for the floods. Instead, it’s his officials who must be held accountable, even if the crime is simply not stopping torrential downpours. Executions serve as a grim reminder that, in North Korea, loyalty is never enough, and failure is met with death.

     Contrast this with the world we live in—the United States and western democracies. Sure, we’re not perfect, but can you imagine President Biden or any Western leader ordering executions over flood damage? In the U.S., when a natural disaster strikes, the government rallies to provide support. FEMA is deployed, aid is delivered, and people are protected. We see government as a safety net, not as an executioner’s hand waiting to strike when things go wrong.

     That’s the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy. In North Korea, the government’s knee-jerk reaction to failure is to eliminate the “problem” by eliminating the people. Here, we hold our leaders accountable through elections, debates, and (sometimes harsh) public criticism. Leaders don’t murder their own to save face—they answer to the people. And that’s exactly why we need to ensure that no power-hungry, authoritarian-leaning politician ever gets close to the White House. We’ve seen firsthand what happens when dictators rule with unchecked power. Kim Jong Un is living proof.

     While Kim silences dissent with executions, Western democracies—despite our imperfections—work to protect the people, to rebuild, and to move forward. North Korea is a tragic example of what happens when power runs wild. Let’s make sure we stay on the right side of history, never letting any leader forget who they serve. Because in the end, it’s us—the people—who should hold the power, not a deranged despot pointing fingers at the sky. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and authors the ‘Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster’ series. Check out his latest spy thriller, ‘Mission of Vengeance’.