North Korea has held the first national conference of cadres, state media reported Wednesday, in an apparent bid to tighten the country's grip on the discipline of officials amid severe flood damage in border areas. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent an "important" letter to participants in the national meeting of officials in the personnel administration sector held in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The report did not disclose the date of the meeting or details of Kim's letter. In a reporting session, North Korea said it has set up a new system of examining senior officials and training reserve cadres, stressing the need to build up the rank of cadres in a qualitative way. "The report analyzed and reviewed a series of shortcomings and causes of failing to fulfill their responsibility and duty due to the old-fashioned viewpoint and work attitude and style of officials in the personnel administration sector, and presented the measures to overcome them," the KCNA said. The meeting came as North Korea is tightening social disciplines amid concerns that public discontent toward the regime could rise over flood damage. The North's leader replaced the public security minister and a regional party secretary for failure to prepare for the heavy rains in July in the northern border area along the Amnok River. Source: Yonhap News Agency