Questions mount over 'corona

Foreign diplomats, embassy staff, and their families check in for a flight to Vladivostok, Russia, at Pyongyang International Airport, Monday. / AP-Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

North Korea still remains a self-proclaimed coronavirus-free country, "thanks to its preemptive quarantine efforts."

However, mounting evidence to the contrary is raising suspicions that the country, sandwiched between two COVID-19 hot spots, South Korea and China, may have failed to keep the deadly epidemic at bay.

Since the epidemic was first detected last December in Wuhan, China, the Kim Jong-un regime has taken strict measures, including closing off its borders, suspending foreign tourism and quarantining all foreign nationals and people who might have been exposed to visitors from other countries. As a result, it has not reported a single infection, officially.

On Monday, the state-run Rodong Sinmun reported that the country has quarantined nearly 10,000 people over virus fears, with 3,800 being released after showing no symptoms.

The paper said the quarantine was intended for those who arrived in the country from abroad and those who came into contact with them, including 380 foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations in Pyongyang.

A recent news report, however, is backing up speculation that the contagious virus has already entered the North.

Citing a source inside the North Korean military, stationed along the country's border with China, the South Korea-based Daily NK news website reported that 180 soldiers have died from the new coronavirus and approximately 3,700 soldiers are currently under quarantine.

Because of the closed nature of the North, confirming the report is almost impossible, with the South Korean unification ministry also declining to comment on the report. The North Korean regime continues to claim it has kept the number of infections at zero.

On Monday, dozens of diplomats from Germany, Russia, France, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Mongolia and Egypt departed Pyongyang for the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok. This also provides a glimpse of the possible arrival of the coronavirus into North Korea.

Experts are concerned that if the virus reaches the country, the consequences would be dire given that it lacks medical supplies and has a poor healthcare infrastructure.

In fact, the North Korean leader warned of "serious consequences" if the virus spreads to his country.

"In case the infectious virus spreading beyond control finds its way into our country, it will entail serious consequences," Kim was quoted as saying during a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency, Feb. 29.

Uriminzokkiri, a North Korean propaganda website, said, Tuesday, the North is adopting strong measures against the coronavirus that require huge economic losses ― the first time the country mentioned economic losses due to the epidemic.

"Nobody can easily decide on and implement ultra-strong quarantine measures to block the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting catastrophe while also enduring tremendous economic losses," it said.

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