North Korea: "COVID-19 Influx Due to South Korean Puppet's Leaflet Scattering Provocation"

Publishing Booklets to Condemn the South
"Biological Bomb Dropping Is a Crime Against Humanity"

Pyongyang Publishing House in North Korea published a booklet titled "Hwageun" on the 26th, claiming that the COVID-19 virus was introduced through leaflets sent to the North. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] North Korea has published a booklet claiming that the COVID-19 virus was introduced due to leaflets distributed from the South. North Korea, which has long asserted through domestic and international propaganda media that COVID-19 was introduced via leaflets, is interpreted as trying to shift responsibility to the South and escalate its level of criticism by producing a separate booklet.

North Korea's external propaganda media, Uriminzokkiri, released the booklet titled "Hwageun" published by Pyongyang Publishing House on the 26th through its website. Pyongyang Publishing House belongs to the Workers' Party's United Front Department and is responsible for publications aimed at the South and foreign audiences. The 31-page booklet repeatedly contains the existing claim that COVID-19 was introduced into North Korea due to leaflets distributed from the South.

The booklet states, "According to the investigation by the State Emergency Anti-epidemic Command, in early April, one soldier and one kindergarten child in Ip'o-ri, Geumgang County, Gangwon Province, were found to have come into contact with unusual objects (leaflets and other items distributed from the South) in the barracks and nearby hills," and "they tested positive for COVID-19."

Deputy Director Yeojeong of the Labor Party threatened to consider strong retaliatory measures, claiming that COVID-19 was introduced to the North by the South, during a public speech at the National Emergency Epidemic Prevention General Meeting held on August 10. / Korean Central News Agency [Image source=Yonhap News]

It continues, "This shows that the malignant infectious disease that spread within our territory was caused by the leaflet distribution frenzy of the South Korean puppet forces," and "their crimes are no different from the inhumane crimes of the U.S. imperialists who dropped bacterial bombs on the northern part of the Republic during the Korean War," fiercely condemning them.

Earlier, North Korea officially acknowledged the outbreak of COVID-19 in May and claimed that the virus was introduced via leaflets. Then, at the National Emergency Anti-epidemic General Meeting in August, while declaring the end of the COVID-19 situation, it mentioned the leaflets and threatened that "strong retaliatory measures must be taken."

North Korea's somewhat nervous reaction to the leaflets is also evident throughout the newly released booklet. It describes the leaflets as "a prelude to a serious northern invasion war provocation," "a stereotypical tactic of warmongers to shake morale on the eve of war," and "a de facto northern invasion war provocation act," among other expressions.

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