[외안구단]”You can travel to North Korea from July”…

North Korea is making a move to loosen the barracks that have been tightly closed by Corona 19. Ahead of vaccination, we are reorganizing medical service and border quarantine guidelines, as well as preparing to accept foreign tourists. There are news of high-ranking officials visiting China after a long time since the blockade that began in the beginning of last year.

◇ North Korean high-level travel to China

A man and woman wearing masks are walking in front of Pyongyang Station in North Korea. On the large monitor behind them, there is a video showing the world’s corona 19 infection situation.

The government of Tungchuan City in Shaanxi Province of China said that the president of the North Korean cabinet chemical industry crude oil company Shin Young-nam visited on the 3rd. Since the beginning of last year, North Korea has been blocking the border and blocking any contact with the outside world. It’s been a long time since a senior North Korean economic executive went to China. In the recent 8th Party Congress, Chairman Kim Jong-un emphasized the importance of metals and chemicals in particular, which suggests that he was trying to discuss the introduction of emergency materials. North Korea’s appointment of economic expert Lee Yong-nam as ambassador to China last month also seems to be a move with economic exchanges in mind with China. North Korea, which also stopped exchanges with China after Corona 19, is now moving little by little again.

◇Vaccine preparation, material disinfection method maintenance, etc… North Korea is busy preparing for exchanges

The fact that North Korea, who has claimed that there have been no corona19 confirmed patients so far, is looking for a vaccine is read as a sign that it will go outside. It means that you can try to move across borders, gradually forming collective immunity.

North Korea is on the list of the international vaccine supply project Cobax Facility. Specifically, there is a plan to receive 1.74,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by May. Since the vaccine needs to be given in two doses, the number of people who can be vaccinated with this supply is expected to be around 852,000. This is equivalent to 3% of all North Koreans.

It is said that there was a considerable degree of discussion with Kobax as to who would be right first. A government official said, “Technical classification is being carried out inside North Korea in accordance with several conditions proposed by international organizations such as WHO.” Some say that the process is being supervised by Labor Vice President Kim Yeo-jeong or Choi Yong-hae, the standing chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly. If residents crossing the border between North Korea and China are first selected for vaccination, it is interpreted that a person with a sense of weight is required for this work.

A Western tourist visiting Pyongyang photographs Pyongyang citizens. 〈Photo = Yonhap News〉

North Korea adopted the’Social Insurance and Social Security Act’ at a plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly on the 3rd. The purpose of this is to systematically improve medical services at the level of the authorities. It is interpreted with the intent to prepare for the lack of medical care that will happen once the blockade is lifted.

The imported goods disinfection law has also been adopted. When importing imported goods from the border, we have established a law to stipulate disinfection procedures and methods, and punish them if they are broken.

◇Korea Tour “You can travel to North Korea from summer”

On the Korea Tour website, there are 7 nights and 8 days of July travel products.

The situation to greet tourists is also captured. Korea Tour, a travel agency specializing in North Korea, which had been closed due to the cancellation of the Pyongyang International Marathon last year and this year, began attracting tourists, saying that it is possible to travel to North Korea from July. The company started accepting reservations for three package tours, including’summer vacation’ in July, and has posted itineraries until next June. Travel agencies close to the North Korean authorities also predicted that the blockade would be lifted by July.

North Korea also approved a general plan for land construction in the East Coast region at the Supreme People’s Assembly on the 3rd. It is very likely that this includes the Geumgangsan tourist area. There are observations that North Korea is trying to use the Mt. Geumgang Tourist Card for foreign negotiations.

As North Korea stretches its external activities like this, there is a mixed expectation that the inter-Korean dialogue or dialogue between the North and the United States, which had been suspended, will not resume sooner or later.