Jack Kim, Heekyong Yang

SEOUL (Reuters), – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared Saturday that COVID-19 spread had thrown the country into “great chaos” and called for an intense fight to defeat the disease. 21 people were killed each day by the virus.

This week, North Korea acknowledged a COVID epidemic for the first-time and imposed a national lockdown. However, there were no signs of any rigorous testing or campaign to treat the disease in North Korea’s primitive healthcare system.

Kim stated that the spread of the malignant virus is a major crisis for the country, as reported by state news agency KCNA.

We will be able to overcome the crisis if our focus is not lost in the execution of epidemic policies and strong organisation power, control and unity based on one-minded unity between the people and the party.

Experts have indicated that the numbers represent only a small fraction of all cases in North Korea, due to its limited testing capabilities. This could cause thousands of deaths in one country without vaccination.

This could lead to a worsening food crisis. The lockdown will also hinder anti-drought efforts as well as the mobilisation of labour.

According to KCNA, the Workers’ Party met and heard about 280 810 patients being treated, 27 deaths, as well as reports that a fever with unidentified origins had been reported in April.

The new deaths could not be attributed to COVID, according to state media. One person died from Omicron variant COVID, KCNA reported Friday.

In total, 524.440 people have been diagnosed with fever by Friday. Approximately 243,630 people have been treated. However, KCNA did not say how many have been confirmed or tested for COVID.

According to Kee Park from Harvard Medical School, North Korea is testing approximately 1,400 people per week. This amount of tests does not include the thousands of patients who have symptoms.

Learn from China’s Success

Kim said that although the crisis was caused incompetently and irresponsibly by party organisation, it could still be transmitted. Kim also stated that faith must be maintained in order to end the crisis as quickly and effectively as possible.

A report by epidemic control officers was also presented to the meeting. They stated that most human deaths were due to negligence, including overdoses resulting from drug intoxication.

Kim said that he would donate the medical equipment of his family to families in need, “with his resolve to share the destiny with people”, KCNA reported.

Kim said, “It is important to actively learn from advanced and rich antiepidemic achievements and experience already accumulated by the Chinese party or people in fighting against malicious epidemic,” Kim was quoted saying.

China and Russia offer vaccine assistance, although Pyongyang does not appear to be seeking it.

Kim’s comments will encourage health officials to examine China’s zero COVID policy closer and perhaps reach out to Chinese authorities. Cheong Seong Chang, head of Sejong Institute’s North Korea studies, stated that Kim’s remarks would prompt them to investigate the matter further.

In an analysis, he stated that “By natural extensions, we can expect China to request COVID-19 treatment or testing equipment.”

Many people around the globe are trying to live without COVID. However, China has a zero-COVID policy that places hundreds of millions of citizens in cities with tight mobility restrictions.

North Korea claimed that youth, party workers, and officials continued to be mobilized to work for drought prevention and rice planting in different areas of the country.

North Korea has yet to report the source of this outbreak. Seoul-based news website, which reports directly from North Korean sources, said that Friday’s test results showed positive for students at a Pyongyang university who had taken part in an event held on May 1. Kim was present at the event.

They had family members who were involved in China trade, and they may have transmitted the virus to their homes in Pyongyang.

Reuters couldn’t independently verify this report.

North Korea opened its border to China in the early part of this year. However, China stopped freight service in April between Dandong and Sinuiju on its side due to COVID.