"US National Institutes Conclude Possibility of COVID-19 Originating from Wuhan Institute Leak"

COVID-19 Wuhan Origin Theory Likely to Gain More Support
Research on COVID-19 Origins Conducted Since May Last Year

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. media outlets have reported that a confidential report from a U.S. government-affiliated research institute concluded that there is a possibility that COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. This development comes as the Biden administration has ordered intelligence agencies to reinvestigate the origins of COVID-19, and it is expected to give renewed strength to the Wuhan origin theory.

On the 7th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing anonymous sources, reported that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, affiliated with the U.S. government, stated in a confidential report published in May last year that "there is a possibility that the COVID-19 virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and it is a matter worthy of further investigation." The laboratory had begun research on COVID-19 itself at that time and was revealed to have studied the origins of COVID-19 over several months until the end of former President Trump's term.

This report emerged shortly after President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to reexamine the Wuhan origin theory of COVID-19, and it is expected to lend greater support to the existing Wuhan origin theory. CNN reported, "U.S. infectious disease experts say the contents of the report reach the same conclusion as the Wuhan origin theory raised in recent weeks but note that there is no conclusive evidence," adding, "Experts say that both the existing natural origin theory and the Wuhan lab leak theory have plausible evidence."

The U.S. government has expressed strong doubts about the theory that COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and is reportedly planning to discuss this at the Group of Seven (G7) summit. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki emphasized at a daily briefing, "I am confident this will be a topic of discussion during President Biden's overseas trip," and "The United States will pressure China through the World Health Organization (WHO) and its allies to disclose raw data and participate in a second investigation."

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