The 16th meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) took place at the office building of the Central Committee of the WPK on August 13.

Kim Jong Un , Chairman of the WPK, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the DPRK, was present at the meeting.

Attending the meeting were members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee.

Present there as observers were Directors, First Vice Directors and Vice Directors of Departments of the WPK Central Committee, Vice-Premiers of the Cabinet, Ministers, Chairpersons of Provincial Party Committees, Chairpersons of Party Committees of Ministries and national institutions, commanding officers of the armed forces organs and members of the Central Emergency Anti-epidemic Headquarters.

Upon authorization of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, Kim Jong Un , the Supreme Leader of the Party, the state and the armed forces presided over the meeting.

The meeting discussed and decided on the issues of eradicating the flood damage and providing stable living conditions to the people as early as possible by concentrating all efforts, and on further strictly maintaining the state emergency anti-epidemic system in the face of the worldwide public health crisis, perfecting the regular commanding system for anti-epidemic work, on lifting a lock-down of the frontline area including Kaesong City, and on organizing a new department in the Party Central Committee, and examined the state event preparations for marking the 75th Party founding anniversary with splendor, before studying and discussing relevant measures.

There was a briefing on the damage caused by the recent disastrous heavy rains and floods.

During the rainy season 39 296 hectares of crops were damaged nationwide including Kangwon, North and South Hwanghae Provinces and Kaesong City, at least 16 680 dwelling houses and over 630 public buildings were destroyed or inundated, lots of roads, bridges and railway sections broken, a dam of a power station gave way and there were other severe damage in various sectors of the national economy.

A particular mention was made of the fact that inhabitants in the areas with severe damage including Kimhwa, Cholwon, Hoeyang and Changdo Counties in Kangwon Province and Unpha and Jangphung Counties in North Hwanghae Province are living in the evacuated areas, undergoing great sufferings in their living.

Briefing on the general situation of flood damage, the Supreme Leader said that the flood-stricken people must be experiencing untold sufferings as they are living in temporary dwelling places with their houses and family properties lost. He earnestly said that it is a crucial time that our Party must be fully responsible for their living and we have to go closer to them to share the pain with them and to relieve them of their sufferings.

Our state faces two challenges: anti-epidemic work to thoroughly cope with the world public health crisis and unexpected sudden natural disaster, he said, pointing out that our Party and the government must set forth a correct policy direction to overcome these two crises at the same time and display seasoned art of leadership in a three-dimensional and offensive campaign.

Stressing the need to rapidly organize and take all necessary measures no matter how long the state emergency anti-epidemic work may last and how many obstacles and difficulties may lie ahead, the Supreme Leader called on all the Party organizations and the power bodies at all levels to properly discharge their duties.

Saying that we cannot make the flood-affected people celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Party without homes, he set forth tasks for different sectors to eradicate the damage of the flood and bring the living of the people back to normal at an early date. He specified detailed ways for this.

He said that the flood damage rehabilitation should not just be confined to mere construction for removing the damage caused by natural disaster and restoration of the living conditions but should be carried out as an important political work for celebrating the 75th founding anniversary of the Party as a genuine holiday of the people and a revolutionary holiday cementing the single-minded unity.

He emphasized that we should spruce up the flood-damaged area to meet not only the desire and wish of the people but also the high standard of the times, and ensure qualitative construction in appropriate places based on the opinions of the inhabitants so that no damage can occur again even though there may come more natural disasters and flood in the future.

The situation, in which the spread of the worldwide malignant virus is getting worse, requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work, he said, adding that information work should be conducted well so as to prevent any violation of anti-epidemic rules among inhabitants in the flood-hit area and those mobilized for the rehabilitation work.

He said that through the active rehabilitation drive we have to prove in practice once again the revolutionary nature of our Party which shares misfortune and pain with the people and protects them by removing all those pains, the advantages of our social system. He repeatedly stressed the need for our Party to fulfill its sacred duty so that it won’t feel ashamed of itself before the people and surely live up to the trust and expectation of the people.

He suggested issuing a decision of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and the joint order of the WPK Central Committee, the Party Central Military Commission and the State Affairs Commission reflecting the immediate fighting tasks for finishing the most part of the flood damage rehabilitation and stabilizing the people’s living by October 10 through the coordinated operation of the army and people loyal to the leadership of Party based on the great unity.

The Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee expressed a unanimous approval for the ardent appeal of the Supreme Leader.

The meeting agreed on an issue of introducing new machinery for setting up nationwide regular anti-epidemic work system, now that the emergency anti-epidemic has assumed prolonged nature. It also mentioned the issue for the new machinery to correctly exercise the authority it has been vested with and enhance its responsibility and role.

The meeting also decided to lift the lock-down of the front line area, including Kaesong, which has been enforced from July 24 following the emergency incident in the forefront area, based on the scientific verification and guarantee by a professional anti-epidemic organization.

Saying that following the past over 20 days of lockdown of the front line area it has been proved that the situation of anti-epidemic work has been contained and controlled stably, he expressed thanks in the name of the Party Central Committee to the people in the locked-down area for having remained faithful to the measure taken by our Party and government, despite the inconvenience in their living under quarantine, and to soldiers, public security officers, security men and members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards for having performed their duty in the locked-down area with responsibility, despite the heavy rains and sultry weather.

The meeting also heard a report on how the preparations are proceeding for state events in celebration of the 75th birth anniversary of the WPK according to the decision made at the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th WPK Central Committee, checked the issues arising in preparing every event and took due measures to prepare at the best level all the celebrations with peculiar style as a great political festival to be provided as an excellent gift to the 75th birth anniversary of the WPK.

The meeting discussed and decided on the issue to set up a new department in the Party Central Committee and defined its function and role.

The Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee expressed belief that the department to be newly set up will make tangible contribution to safeguarding the dignity and interests of the state and people, reliably supporting and guaranteeing the political stability and order of the society and impregnably defending our class position and socialist construction.

The meeting also discussed an organizational matter.

Members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee were elected.

Kim Tok Hun and Ri Pyong Chol were elected as members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

The meeting re-called and by-elected a member and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

Pak Thae Dok was by-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee and member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

Pak Myong Sun and Jon Kwang Ho were by-elected as alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

According to a proposal of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, the Chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission relieved the Premier of the DPRK Cabinet and appointed new Premier by exercising the power he has been vested with under the Socialist Constitution.

The Chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission appointed Kim Tok Hun as Premier of the DPRK Cabinet.

The meeting elected Vice-Chairmen of the Party Central Committee.

Kim Jae Ryong and Pak Thae Dok were elected as Vice-Chairmen of the Party Central Committee.

It also dismissed the Directors of some Departments of the Party Central Committee and appointed new Directors.

Kim Jae Ryong, Pak Thae Dok, Pak Myong Sun, Jon Kwang Ho and Kim Yong Su were appointed as Department Directors of the Party Central Committee.

Chairmen of the Provincial Committees of the WPK were appointed.

Kim Chol Sam was appointed as Chairman of the North Hamgyong Provincial Party Committee and Ri Jae Nam as Chairman of the Nampho City Party Committee.