North Korean state media outlets
continued to clean the regime is
unaffected by the virus but some
watchers believe otherwise that it's
highly possible the reclusive state is
already facing the epidemic and the
situation poses a challenge to Kim
jong-un's drive towards self-sufficient
economic growth we'll join you shares
with us their analysis
North Korea's Health Minister has
appeared on state TV for four days in a
row this week to confirm the north is
virus free according to the data we've
gathered until now thankfully there's no
patient infected with the new corona
virus in our country using all of its
media outlets the North has been urging
its people to do their best in their
current teen efforts the regime also has
closed its borders with China and
suspended tours also in place a strict
quarantine of up to 30 days on all
incoming travelers North Korea proudly
states that it has seen no confirmed
cases in the world health organization
says it's not dealing with any
coronavirus cases in the north but the
real situation on the ground is hard to
assess experts here in South Korea say
it's highly probable that there are
infections in the north we have
intelligence that a citizen in Konya
who's visited China has been infected
and I've heard that there was an order
in the north to burn all the dead bodies
so we can't rule out the possibility of
deaths from the virus Cho points out
that the virus could have been spread
within the regime by North Korean
laborers who returned home from China
last December after the virus broke out
the north started isolating travelers in
January smuggling were Civic exchanges
between North Koreans and Chinese are
possible factors as well pundits also
point to weak public health
infrastructure in the north a lack of
test kits and medicine ordinary North
Koreans may not be aware they're
infected confusing symptoms of the
corona virus with other respiratory
diseases common in the north
the kovin 19 epidemic rates a dilemma
for Kim jong-un Pyongyang's trade with
Beijing the
main source of income for the regime
under the international sanctions
framework is directly hit Kim jong-un
has seated at the start of the new year
that his regime will confront the
international sanctions and achieve
self-supported economic development for
the north to achieve its so-called
self-reliance it should mobilize as many
people as possible but at the moment
that's difficult because the virus needs
to be controlled
plus the north also has to close its
border with China at a time when it
badly needs economic assistance Pyong
yang through its new doom Shimbun
newspaper on Friday emphasized that it's
clean from the virus in contrast to
South Korea watchers say it's part of
propaganda efforts the news that there
are infections in North Korea could
greatly hurt public sentiments and leave
a mark against Kim jong-un's leadership
Oh jung-hee Arirang news
