The current status of North Korea's COVID-19 response and the direction of Health and Medical Assistance to North Korea
Hwang Nami
(Professor of National Cancer Center Graduate School,
National Cancer Center Korea)
happynam2h@gmail.com
Executive summary
■ Response of the North Korean central organization to the COVID-19 pandemic
○ Even before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic in March 2020, North Korea strengthened preemptive quarantine measures such as changing the national emergency system and blocking all borders (20.1.31)
- Then, North Korea recognized the seriousness of the inflow and spread of COVID-19, revised the Infectious Disease Prevention Act, enacted the Emergency Prevention Act, and ordered the construction of Pyongyang General Hospital.
○ From 2022, North Korea responded with "transitioning from control-oriented quarantine to advanced and people-oriented quarantine" and "ensuring necessary measures and capabilities"
- To ensure the health and security of residents under People’s Firstism, North Korea decided the nation's top priority as COVID-19 quarantine.
○ It refused international community's support of COVID-19 vaccine.
- Since 2021, COVAX has assigned vaccines to North Korea (AstraZeneca, China Sinobek, etc.), yet North Korea has not received them, and only two countries around the world have not been vaccinated (Africa Eritrea).
■ Occurrence and response to COVID-19 confirmed cases in North Korea
○ Admitted the first confirmed case of COVID-19 mutant, Stealth Omicron [22.5.12.]
- Since announcing that no one has been infected by COVID-19, the North Korean government officially admitted the confirmed case and turned the nation's quarantine system into the "maximum emergency quarantine system" and Chairman Kim Jong-un mentioned it as "the most serious emergency case since the founding" that is "causing chaos."
- It is reported that the number of suspected cases of COVID-19 (fever) occurred simultaneously across the country, accumulating 3.45 million confirmed cases (13.6 percent of the total population) and 69 deaths as of May 28, but that the trend is gradually decreasing.
○ The North Korean authorities promoted the following to cope with COVID-19: ①Transition from a quarantine system to a treatment system, ②Early detection and isolation treatment for people with fever, ③Scientific treatment and drug assurance, ④ Strengthening hygiene propaganda
- However, due to lack of COVID-19 diagnostic kits, medicines, medical equipment, thermal diagnostic and therapeutic means for symptoms, laboratory capacity, and the knowledge and skills for new infectious diseases, the overall medical situation is poor.
■ The direction of aid to North Korea and inter-Korean cooperation
○ Basic point of view
- South Koreans (72% approve of health and medical aid to North Korea) and the new government's humanitarian aid to North Korea emphasize the importance of truth and the life community on the Korean Peninsula.
- It maintains its position that it will implement the agreements reached at the inter-Korean summit.
- After priority support in sectors requiring urgency, cooperation is promoted in linking relief, rehabilitation, and development.
- Partnership with the international community will be strengthened upon facing the situation of UN sanctions against North Korea.
○ The direction of the humanitarian aid to North Korea and inter-Korean cooperation
- ①Support for phased quarantine capabilities from priority protection of high-risk groups for COVID-19 and establishment of infectious disease wards for Pyongyang General Hospital, ② Support for quality improvement of quarantine systems and equipment modernization, ③ Support for quarantine and water supply facilities, and support for waterborne infectious disease treatments, ④ Support for COVID-19 vaccines and cold chain system, and ⑤ Nutrition support for vulnerable health groups such as infants and pregnant women, and medical support for people with underlying diseases
- To monitor and control infectious diseases and jointly respond to inter-Korean infectious diseases, establishing a joint Inter-Korean quarantine management office in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, forming and operating an inter-Korean consultative body to respond to infectious diseases, and knowledge and human exchanges for joint quarantine should be promoted.
- To form a "three-nation quarantine cooperative" involving of South Korea, North Korea, and China, and promote human exchange.
- To resume inter-Korean win-win cooperation, which has been suspended for years, through the production and support of humanitarian aid products in response to infectious diseases at the Kaesong Industrial Complex
- To seek diplomatic cooperation in resuming the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a field of sustainable humanitarian aid and inter-Korean cooperation, in the face of the U.N. Security Council's sanctions on North Korea.
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