"Foremost Focus": North Koreans Told To Protect Kim Jong-Un Portraits As Typhoon Approaches

North Korea has asked its citizens to do everything possible to protect the Kim dynasty's portraits as the country braces for heavy rains and high gusts from typhoon Khanun, as per a report in Independent. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Korean Workers' Party, stated that people's "foremost focus" should be "ensuring the safety" of propaganda images of North Korea's current leader, Kim Jong-un, his father, Kim Jong-il, and his grandfather, Kim Il-Sung.

The state-run newspaper also urged North Koreans to safeguard sculptures, monuments, mosaics, and paintings of the Kim dynasty, which has ruled the country since it was founded in 1948.

It is to be noted that the capital city of Pyongyang is extremely sensitive to the situation as portraits of the dynasty are found in several homes and offices. As per the outlet, "citizens face possible prosecution if failed to safeguard the portraits during a disaster, such as fire."

A professor at Kookmin University, told the NK News, "Let's not forget that North Korea among other things is a theocratic state. These statues and portraits are not just symbols but are sacred religious symbols - essentially icons. Every religion since times immemorial expects its faithful to be ready to die - or at least suffer - in order to save sacred icons."

Meanwhile, hundreds of South Koreans were evacuated from coastal areas on Thursday as the storm battered the country's southern provinces. Cumulative rainfall in certain regions has exceeded 400mm, with maximum wind gusts of 126 km per hour, flooding villages, schools and roadways.

According to the interior ministry, about 16,000 people were evacuated, but 60 per cent of them had returned to their homes as of 6 am on Friday. Additionally, around 350 flights and 450 rail lines were disrupted.