28 Aug
A North Korean newspaper says the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, has inspected an area hit by a typhoon.
Typhoon Bavi landed in the western part of North Korea on Thursday and was downgraded to a tropical depression while passing over northeastern China.
The ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Friday that Kim had visited South Hwanghae Province, in the country's southwest.
He is believed to have arrived at the crop-producing area immediately after the typhoon hit, although the report did not give the exact time of his visit.
Kim was quoted as saying he had been very worried about the situation and it is fortunate that the scale of the damage is smaller than had been expected.
He reportedly instructed officials to work out measures to minimize the drop in crop yields.
North Korean state-run television does not usually broadcast overnight. But it provided coverage of the typhoon from Wednesday morning until Thursday night and urged the public to exercise caution.
Observers say the quick reporting of Kim's visit apparently indicates the North Korean leadership's intention to show it puts priority on protecting people's lives.
NHK
