"No COVID-19"?... North Korea Approaches 7,000 Self-Quarantine Cases in Pyeongan and Gangwon Provinces

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Contrary to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's claim that the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has not entered the country, it appears that North Korea is actually 'self-quarantining' and monitoring about 7,000 people only in Pyongan Province and Kangwon Province.

The Workers' Party organ, Rodong Sinmun, reported on the 1st in an article titled "Intensifying Propaganda and Quarantine Efforts to Prevent Virus Epidemics" that there are approximately 2,420 and 1,500 "medical surveillance subjects" in South Pyongan Province and Kangwon Province, respectively, totaling about 3,900 people. Earlier, on the 24th, Korean Central Broadcasting mentioned that there are "over 3,000 medical surveillance subjects" in North Pyongan Province, which borders China.

Summarizing this, the number of medical surveillance subjects in South Pyongan, North Pyongan, and Kangwon Provinces alone reaches at least 7,000. The newspaper stated, "Among the medical surveillance subjects, special medical observation is being strengthened for those suffering from heart disease, hypertension, bronchitis, etc., and active treatment is also being pursued."

Although North Korean media have not clearly defined the concept of "medical surveillance subjects," considering the claim that measures to ensure their livelihood, such as sending firewood and food supplies, are being implemented "without gaps," it is presumed that these are a kind of "self-quarantined" individuals under government monitoring with movement restrictions imposed.

In fact, North Korea, with its poor medical infrastructure, is known to have strictly monitored some residents by not allowing them to leave their homes when infectious diseases broke out in the past.

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