The Voice of America (VOA) reported on August 20 that a large tent village has been established in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, for flood victims in North Korea. The area is so vast that it covers the equivalent of three international soccer fields, making it even visible from space.
VOA shared this information after analyzing satellite images from the U.S. private satellite company, Planet Labs. The images show a wide spread of orange and yellow objects across the region in Uiju County, which are identifiable from space.
These objects were detected in four locations, with the largest covering an area of 5,539 square meters (59,621 square feet). The total land area of the four sites exceeds 17,000 square meters, equivalent to three international soccer fields, according to VOA’s analysis.
Recently, this region, along with Jagang and Ryanggang provinces, suffered extensive damage due to severe flooding. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the disaster site where flood victims were gathered, and the tents seen during his visit were orange.
VOA speculated that the orange and yellow objects identified by Planet Labs are likely tents set up in open areas for the flood victims. The presence of these tents nearly three weeks after the disaster suggests that recovery efforts are still ongoing.
Additionally, VOA reported that the Uiju Airfield, which had been used to quarantine cargo from China, has ceased operations following the flood, citing a Planet Labs satellite image from August 18.
[Kim Jong-un’s regime faces mounting pressure as North Korea’s food crisis worsens]
At the airfield, Chinese cargo was typically quarantined on the runway for two weeks to three months before being transported inland. However, the satellite images showed the runway was completely empty, a situation described as unprecedented by VOA.
On July 27, the Yalu River overflowed due to heavy rains, causing significant damage to the Shinuiju and Uiju County areas in North Pyongan Province. While North Korea has not disclosed the exact extent of the damage, one media outlet, citing a government official, estimated the death toll and number of missing persons to be between 1,000 and 1,500.
However, Kim Jong-un dismissed these reports as “serious provocations” and “insults.” Despite this, the scale of the tent village for the displaced suggests that the flood damage in North Korea was indeed significant.
Previously, U.S. experts had pointed out that a lack of investment in North Korea’s infrastructure exacerbated the flood damage. They noted that outdated drainage systems contribute to the country’s vulnerability to heavy rainfall each year.
BY SUNGJAE BAE, YOUNGNAM KIM [hongdoya@joongang.co.kr]
