North Korea’s Unprecedentedly Rapid Disaster Report

North Korea reported the causes, scope of damage, and the international community’s efforts to help via communication and broadcasting stations on April 24, two days after the massive explosion in Yongcheon. This is unprecedented considering North Korea’s practice of hardly reporting huge disasters unfavorable to its Stalinist regime.

First of all, it seems possible that North Korea is addressing endless views of attempts to assassinate North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-il, by making a simple accident clear. KCNA news agency reported the causes of the accident in detail on April 24, saying that “as high voltage reached an oil train, it caught fire. This caused an explosion of a freight car loading fertilizers based on nitric acid and ammonia.”

Secondly, it considered the accident as a huge disaster that keenly needs aid from the international community. KCNA news agency and TV first reported on April 24 at 10 p.m. that “humanitarian assistance from representatives of foreign delegations from various countries and international organizations are encouraging the North Korean people to overcome the damage.”

Thirdly, another reason for urging an official announcement is that it was an accident, which could not be concealed. “Yongcheon station is a gateway for trade between North Korea and China, and a place where Chinese cellular phones are available. Hence, it was impossible for the North Korean authorities to conceal the accident,” said a government official.

Professor Je Sung-ho of Chung-Ang University analyzed the accident, saying, “North Korea seems to be trying to take this as opportunity to revive the momentum for internal unification by opening the accident to the public very rapidly, which could cause internal rioting or disorder.”

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com