Expectations for Inter-Korean Quarantine Cooperation... US "Ready to Support North Korea's COVID Response"

US State Department "Concerns Over North Korea's Vulnerabilities... Ready for Swift Approval"
Willingness to Cooperate on Sanctions Issues Related to Humanitarian Aid to North Korea
Positive Impact on Inter-Korean Quarantine Cooperation

North Korean media reported on the 12th that the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly urgently adopted a decision to extend the isolation period for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) to 30 days.

The United States has expressed concern about North Korea's vulnerability to COVID-19 and stated that it will enable rapid support if needed. North Korea has been unusually releasing daily reports related to COVID-19, drawing attention to whether this could serve as a stepping stone for inter-Korean quarantine cooperation and the resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks.

On the 13th (local time), Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said in a statement, "The United States is deeply concerned about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to the coronavirus outbreak."

She added, "We support and encourage efforts by the United States and international aid and health organizations to respond to and contain the spread of the coronavirus in North Korea," and "The United States is prepared to ensure that approvals for support from these organizations are expedited."

This is the first time the United States has officially stated its position regarding North Korea and COVID-19. The State Department statement came after the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) requested the urgent lifting of sanctions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in North Korea.

Earlier, the IFRC Asia-Pacific regional office, in a statement signed by its regional director, emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian supplies such as personal protective equipment and diagnostic kits for North Korea, particularly stressing the necessity of allowing account transfers to the Red Cross office in North Korea. This was a call for exemption measures from various sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council to facilitate humanitarian aid.

The State Department statement on this day can be interpreted as the U.S. expressing its willingness to cooperate to ensure that international humanitarian aid to North Korea is not hindered by U.S.-led sanctions. This can also be seen as an attempt to open a channel for dialogue through humanitarian aid amid the stalemate in North Korea-U.S. talks.

A photo reported by the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party, on the 10th shows officials wearing protective suits and masks talking at the Cheongryu General Clinic in the Taedonggang District of North Korea.

Furthermore, there is growing hope that the U.S.'s conciliatory message could lead to inter-Korean quarantine cooperation.

Yeo Sang-gi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said at a regular briefing on the 3rd, "The government basically believes that quarantine cooperation between the South and the North is necessary," adding, "We plan to review the timing of discussions while monitoring our situation and the progress on the North Korean side."

The National Security Strategy Institute, a research institute under the National Intelligence Service, suggested in a report titled "Infectious Disease Spread and Inter-Korean Cooperation," released on the 5th, that "If confirmed cases occur in North Korea, medical equipment and supplies from outside will become urgently needed," and proposed that preparations should be expedited to cooperate with North Korea in response.

Director Choi stated, "To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, measures beyond blocking human exchanges are necessary," arguing that support for equipment and supplies such as thermal cameras, diagnostic kits, quarantine masks, and hand sanitizers to prevent infectious disease spread is urgent.

Lee Gyu-chang, head of the India Cooperation Research Office at the Korea Institute for National Unification, also argued in a report published on the 4th titled "Inter-Korean Cooperation and Joint Disaster Response to Prevent Infectious Disease Spread" that inter-Korean cooperation is necessary to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and minimize damage caused by their introduction.

Despite the South Korean government's and the international community's active willingness to support, the key issue remains North Korea's acceptance. During the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) last year, the government repeatedly proposed inter-Korean quarantine cooperation, but North Korea consistently remained unresponsive. Director Lee explained, "In the field of infectious disease cooperation between the South and the North, North Korea selectively accepts cooperation from the South Korean government depending on its national interests or political situation."

However, North Korea's recent response to COVID-19 raises some hope that it might respond positively to quarantine cooperation. North Korea has been emphasizing the dangers of COVID-19 and the importance of quarantine activities daily through media accessible to its residents as well as external media. Some view this as a possible pretext-building for sudden quarantine cooperation with the international community.

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