North Korea Reports 390,000 New COVID-19 Cases... Kim Jong-un Issues Special Order for Military Deployment and Medicine Supply

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] As North Korea recorded 390,000 new COVID-19 fever cases, Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party, issued a special order to deploy the People's Army to stabilize the situation, citing delays in the timely distribution of COVID-19 related medicines.

He particularly criticized judicial and prosecution officials, including the chief of the Central Prosecutor's Office, for failing to legally monitor and control hoarding and illegal distribution of medicines.

On the 16th, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea convened an emergency meeting again on the 15th to discuss epidemic prevention measures."

The agency conveyed that Kim, who presided over the meeting, said, "The Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee issued an emergency directive to urgently release national reserve medicines and distribute them promptly to swiftly suppress and manage the spread of the infectious disease. It also instructed all pharmacies to switch to a 24-hour operation system, but so far, mobilization has not been properly established, and execution has not been immediate."

Kim also reportedly issued a special order from the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea to the military medical sector to immediately stabilize the supply of medicines within Pyongyang.

Furthermore, he strongly reprimanded the judicial and prosecution sectors, including the chief of the Central Prosecutor's Office, for failing to enforce the Party's medicine supply policies legally. Kim criticized, "The judicial and prosecution sectors, which should legally guarantee the enforcement of Party policies, are not properly conducting legal supervision and control to ensure that administrative orders related to medicine supply are implemented swiftly and accurately."

He pointed out the failure to correct various negative phenomena in the handling and sale of medicines nationwide and severely criticized the chief of the Central Prosecutor's Office for dereliction of duty and negligence, stating that even in this severe national situation, he feels no responsibility or remorse and fails to perform any role.

Kim also criticized the attitude and organizational execution power of the Cabinet and health sectors, stating, "The reason why medicines procured by the state do not reach residents accurately and timely through pharmacies is that the direct executors, the cadres of the Cabinet and health sectors, do not have a proper understanding of the current crisis situation and only verbally recite a spirit of devoted service to the people without actively stepping forward."

The Korean Central News Agency reported that the meeting discussed ▲ strengthening national administrative control over emergency epidemic prevention work ▲ ensuring hygiene and safety in pharmacies' handling of medicines ▲ enhancing legal control levels over epidemic prevention work ▲ and improving national crisis response capabilities.

After the Political Bureau meeting, Kim personally visited a pharmacy in the Taedonggang district of Pyongyang to inspect the supply and sale status of medicines. He noted, "Currently, most pharmacies are not properly organized to perform their functions smoothly, lacking separate storage spaces for medicines beyond display cabinets, reflecting a backward situation." He also pointed out issues such as sales staff not properly wearing hygienic clothing while serving and hygiene environments not meeting standards.

According to the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters on the same day, from 6 p.m. on the 14th to 6 p.m. the previous day, about 392,920 new fever cases occurred nationwide in North Korea, with 8 deaths. The total cumulative death toll is now 50.

From the end of last month to 6 p.m. the previous day, the total nationwide number of fever cases reached approximately 1,213,550. Among them, about 648,630 have recovered, and about 564,860 are currently receiving treatment.

Since North Korea officially acknowledged the occurrence of COVID-19 cases for the first time, the number of new fever cases presumed to be COVID-19 infections has rapidly increased: 18,000 on the 12th, 174,440 on the 13th, 296,180 on the 14th, and about 392,920 on the 15th.

Considering North Korea's use of the term "fever cases" instead of "confirmed cases" due to a shortage of testing equipment, the actual number of confirmed cases and deaths is estimated to be higher than the announced figures.

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