A/HRC/34/66 conduct comprehensive investigations on all Japanese nationals including victims of abductions and other missing persons. 7. Notably, in his 2017 New Year remarks, Mr. Kim referred to unification of the two Koreas. He stated that “all countrymen in the north, in the south and abroad should do something to make this year a meaningful year of a new phase in independent reunification”.6 He further noted the forty-fifth anniversary of the joint statement of 4 July 1972 and the tenth anniversary of the declaration signed by the two Koreas on 4 October 2007. The Special Rapporteur hopes that these anniversaries could offer an opportunity for productive dialogue to address outstanding human rights issues. B. Impact of the August 2016 flood 8. In late August 2016, Typhoon Lionrock caused heavy rains over the north-eastern part of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea described the storm as the “strongest … and heaviest downpour in meteorological observation since the liberation of Korea in 1945”.7 The storm resulted in large-scale flooding and landslides that affected residential areas and farmland in North Hamgyong and Ryanggang provinces. Failure of river embankments and discharge from the Sodusu power plant possibly aggravated the impact of the natural disaster.8 9. As a result of the flooding, 138 people were killed and 400 remained missing as of October 2016.9 It is estimated that 600,000 people were affected, with 140,000 of them severely affected and 70,000 displaced. About 30,000 houses were reportedly damaged. 10 More than 180 road sections and more than 60 bridges were destroyed. More than 27,400 hectares of cultivated land were reportedly washed away or submerged. 11 10. The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea requested international humanitarian agencies in the country to assist in responding to the humanitarian situation. The Government also invited United Nations agencies to participate in a joint assessment mission to the affected areas from 6 to 9 September 2016.12 Another mission was undertaken from 18 to 22 November. While these missions visited three (Yonsa, Musan and Hoeryong) of the six most affected areas, they were not able to visit the 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Permanent Mission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations, press release No. 1/01/17. Korea Central News Agency (Pyongyang), “WPK Central Committee calls all people to turn out in operations to recover from flood damage in northern area”, 11 September 2016 and “People-first principle is life and soul of WPK”, 12 September 2016. Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Joint Assessment: North Hamgyong Floods (Pyongyang, 11 September 2016), available from http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/20160916%20DPRK_North%20Hamgyong%20 Floods%20Joint%20Assessment%20Report.pdf. See also http://kp.one.un.org/content/unct/dprk/en/ home/emergency-response/floods-2016.html; www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/food_international_org/nkflood-09212016161854.html; and www.dailynk.com/korean/read.php?cataId=nk04505&num=109176. Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, press release, “Torrential rains and flooding bring devastation to DPRK”, 14 October 2016. Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Joint Review Mission to Flood-Affected Areas in North Hamgyong, 18-23 November (Pyongyang, 23 November 2016), available from http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Joint %20Review%20Mission%20to%20Flood%20Affected%20Areas%20Nov%202016%20Report.pdf . Korea Central News Agency (Pyongyang), “Korean army and people all out for flood recovery campaign in North Hamgyong Province”, 14 September 2016. Joint Assessment North Hamgyong Floods. 5