Kim Jong-un allegedly sent gardeners to labour camp after flowers failed to bloom

Kim Jong-un reportedly sent his gardeners to a labour camp when flowers didn't bloom in time for his late father's birthday.

The flowers in question, 'Kimjongilia' Begonias – named after Kim Jong-il – were supposed to be a centrepiece for the Day of the Shining Star on 16 February. The public holiday is dedicated to the anniversary of the birth of the country's second leader.

It is said the North Korean dictator made the harsh decision when the flowers failed to grow in time.

According to reports, a man in his 50s identified as Han was sentenced to six months in a labour camp. Han was handling the greenhouse where the flowers were growing, but due to the lack of firewood, the greenhouse wasn't humid enough to bloom in time.

A source told Daily NK Newsabout the alleged incident, explaining that many greenhouses became neglected in recent years, so the request to grow flowers was quite unrealistic.

"Economic activity greatly decreased due to the strengthening of the country's emergency disease-control measures, which led many Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia greenhouses to become neglected," they said.

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"But now they're suddenly saying that the Kimjongilia flowers have to be grown in time for the event, so how is Han supposed to grow them?"

According to the anonymous source, "other employees have been punished."

The person handling boilers at the facility was also reported to have been sent to a labour camp for three months, after claims they did not "properly set the temperature."

It is said that the flowers were kept under close watch and "a flower grower surnamed Kim was called in every day to the county party committee to report on the state of the flowers and to write self-criticism reports."

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