North Korea Turns To Japan For Flood Aid

A representive of the North Korean community with close ties to the North Korean government asked Japan on Thursday for humanitarian aid after destructive floods.

Ho Jong Man, vice chairman of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, made the request to Kosuke Uehara, vice chairman of the ruling coalition’s Socialist party.

Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama told reporters that Japan will consider giving North Korea aid.

The residents’ association, which represents about 200,000 North Korean citizens living in Japan, often acts as an intermediary because the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

Ho repeated an earlier North Korean announcement that the floods from late July to mid-August killed 68 people and affected 5.2 million.

It was the worst flooding to hit North Korea in 100 years, according to available records.