Sankei: "North Korea Isolates Asthma and Cold Patients to Prevent COVID-19"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Sankei Shimbun reported on the 19th that North Korea forcibly quarantined residents showing asthma symptoms in tuberculosis patient admission facilities from early to mid last month to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Sankei conveyed that a North Korean defector living in South Korea, who is in contact with residents across North Korea, revealed this, adding, "Since there is no COVID-19 testing, treatment technology, or equipment itself, it seems to be an effort to prevent the spread of infection as much as possible."

The defector said that during contact with an acquaintance in Musan, Hamgyongbuk-do, a border area between North Korea and China, in mid last month, the local quarantine department received instructions from central authorities to "quarantine anyone showing abnormalities" to "block COVID-19 from China," and such measures were taken accordingly.

Regarding the instructions, if a report stated "there is no such person," the inspection team would respond, "That cannot be," and conduct investigations. The acquaintance explained to the defector that "because inspections are troublesome, it seems they had no choice but to forcibly quarantine asthma or cold patients in tuberculosis wards to show that they were working," Sankei reported.

At that time, there was no way to confirm COVID-19 infection locally, and identifying infected individuals was impossible. However, dozens were quarantined in a suburban tuberculosis hospital, and the defector's acquaintance said, "There are also tuberculosis patients originally admitted mixed in, and the exact number or symptoms of those quarantined due to COVID-19 were not clearly revealed," the newspaper added.

The period when North Korea strengthened quarantine coincided with the time when North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un's public activities were not visible, and Japanese intelligence authorities also obtained the same information and are paying attention to the relationship between COVID-19 and Chairman Kim's activities, Sankei reported.

Additionally, Sankei reported that North Korea significantly reduced economic activities and closed the Jangmadang (general market) in Hyesan, Yanggang-do, but transactions using mobile phones and at bus stops continued, and in mid-April, logistics control from China was eased in Rason and Sinuiju.

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