North Korea Urges South Korean Staff at Kaesong Office to "Wear Masks" Amid Wuhan Pneumonia Emergency

On the Morning of the 28th, First Request Made to South Korean Personnel
Quarantine Strengthened for Entry and Exit Personnel
North Korea Launches All-Out Battle to Prevent Virus Inflow

On the 28th, as public anxiety grows over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), tourists are watching the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Deoksugung Palace in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

North Korea, which is making all-out efforts to prevent the influx of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), was confirmed on the 28th to have requested South Korean staff at the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office to wear masks. Quarantine measures for personnel commuting to the liaison office have been further strengthened.

The Ministry of Unification stated, "This morning (the 28th), the North requested our personnel working at the liaison office to wear masks."

The Ministry of Unification also explained that from this day, "our side is expanding fever checks using thermal cameras conducted by quarantine officers from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for those departing the country." Previously, fever checks were only conducted upon entry at the inter-Korean liaison office.

The Ministry added that personal masks and portable hand sanitizers are being provided to all visitors to North Korea.

Furthermore, the government is closely monitoring the situation regarding whether to provide quarantine supplies such as masks to North Korea.

When asked by reporters on the same day whether the government is considering proactively providing quarantine supplies or masks to the North to prevent the spread of Wuhan pneumonia, a Ministry of Unification official said, "We need to continue observing the situation."

He added, "It seems somewhat different from the African Swine Fever (ASF) situation," and "We need to look at our own situation first."

During last year's ASF outbreak, the government proactively promoted support for quarantine supplies.

The official said, "So far, there is no possibility of spread through contact between the two Koreas," and "We need to continue monitoring the situation in North Korea."

Unlike the inter-Korean border area, the Chinese border city of Dandong in Liaoning Province, which is the largest trading hub between North Korea and China, is showing a spreading trend of 'Wuhan pneumonia.'

According to the Liaoning Provincial Health Commission of China, Dandong reported its first confirmed case on the morning of the 26th, followed by three cases on the 27th and one case on the 28th.

Although there have been no reports of confirmed 'Wuhan pneumonia' cases in North Korea yet, given that multiple confirmed cases have been reported in Dandong, which borders North Korea's Sinuiju across the Yalu River, North Korea cannot be complacent.

Meanwhile, North Korea is actively moving to establish emergency measures to block the influx of Wuhan pneumonia. North Korean media have been publishing articles daily related to Wuhan pneumonia, emphasizing preventive guidelines to residents.

The Workers' Party organ, Rodong Sinmun, reported on the same day in an article titled "Emergency Measures to Prevent the Novel Coronavirus Infection," stating, "The health sector is taking emergency measures to thoroughly establish preventive measures against the novel coronavirus infection, which has recently caused great anxiety and concern in the international community."

Since the newspaper stated that "through the devoted efforts of health sector workers, thorough quarantine measures are being established to absolutely prevent the novel coronavirus infection from entering our country," it appears that there are no confirmed cases of Wuhan pneumonia within North Korea yet.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.