North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised eyebrows once again with his choice of footwear. During a rare public appearance on Monday, Kim was seen touring flood-ravaged areas of his country wearing a pair of mandals. The North Korean leader donned a bright white long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and matching mandals as he surveyed the mud and wetlands near the disaster site in the South Pyongan Province.
The choice of summertime footwear did not provide much protection against the elements, as Kim was also spotted wading through waist-high waters alongside his more appropriately dressed entourage. This is not the first time Kim has opted for such an unconventional choice in footwear. He previously debuted his mandals during a speech in 2021, which sparked speculation about his health following a three-week absence.
Kim’s latest outing in mandals came after a disaster struck the nation’s western coast, where seawater destroyed an embankment, resulting in the flooding of over 560 hectares of land, including valuable rice paddies. Despite no casualties reported, the flooding has raised concerns about the country’s food crisis.
Following his inspection of the flood site, Kim criticized government officials as “irresponsible,” specifically singling out Kim Tok Hun, the premier of the cabinet, for allegedly neglecting his duties in inspecting the destroyed embankment. Kim attributed the flooding to an inadequate drainage system and described it as a man-made disaster. He accused the officials involved of being “seriously out of order” and blamed them for “spoiling all the state economic work,” according to state media.
Reports suggest that Kim may use the disaster as a reason to reshuffle his cabinet and address the country’s recent economic failings. Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korean studies at South Korea’s Kyungnam University, believes that Kim is furious over the national economy’s lack of improvement and sees this as an opportunity to make changes.
While Kim’s choice of footwear may have raised eyebrows, the focus remains on the devastating impact of the flooding and the potential consequences for North Korea’s already fragile food situation.
How might Kim Jong Un’s response to the flooding crisis indicate his intentions to address the country’s economic issues
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has once again caused a stir with his unconventional fashion choices. During a recent public appearance, Kim was seen touring flood-affected areas of his country wearing a pair of mandals. Despite the muddy and wet conditions, Kim confidently sported these open-toed sandals, along with a white shirt and black pants.
While the choice of summertime footwear raised eyebrows, it didn’t provide much protection against the elements. Kim was spotted wading through waist-high waters alongside his appropriately dressed entourage. This isn’t the first time Kim has opted for mandals – he first debuted them during a speech earlier this year, which sparked speculation about his health.
This latest outing in mandals came after a disastrous flooding incident on the country’s western coast. Seawater destroyed an embankment, resulting in the flooding of valuable rice paddies and over 560 hectares of land. This has raised concerns about North Korea’s already fragile food situation.
After inspecting the flood site, Kim expressed his disappointment in government officials, specifically criticizing Kim Tok Hun, the premier of the cabinet, for neglecting his duties. According to state media, Kim described the flooding as a man-made disaster caused by an inadequate drainage system. He accused the officials involved of being “seriously out of order” and blamed them for “spoiling all the state economic work.”
There are reports suggesting that Kim may use this disaster as an opportunity to reshuffle his cabinet and address the country’s recent economic failings. Experts believe that the North Korean leader is furious over the lack of improvement in the national economy and sees this crisis as a chance to make much-needed changes.
While Kim’s choice of footwear may have grabbed attention, it is important to focus on the devastating impact of the flooding and the potential consequences for North Korea’s already struggling food situation.
