South Korea begins vaccination, North Korea emphasizes daily quarantine

Although South Korea is taking a step closer to overcoming the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), such as starting vaccination, North Korea is still focusing only on quarantine. On the 25th, the North Korean labor newspaper emphasized the importance of’propaganda propaganda’ in the prevention of Corona 19 with pictures of residents wearing masks and boarding a trolleybus. On this day, the first AstraZeneca vaccine shipped in South Korea was delivered to public health centers across the country, and vaccinations started the next day.

The Nodong Newspaper’s article, which emphasizes the need for quarantine, is already the 10th this month, more than last month, which was six times. In particular, it intensively reported on special and general articles encouraging the quarantine project from the 18th to the 24th, where training for the entire process of vaccination, such as vaccine transport and vaccination, was conducted in various parts of South Korea. The Labor newspaper emphasized, “Let’s take the lead by party members and beginner workers (executives) and concentrate all their efforts before emergency defense and protect the well-being of the people and the safety of the country.”

As such, North Korea’s recent emphasis on COVID-19 quarantine seems to be largely influenced by measures to block borders between North Korea, China and North Korea and Russia, which have continued for more than a year. The image of a group of Russian diplomats in Pyongyang who escaped the border while pushing a cart with luggage on the railroad on the 25th shows the seriousness of the border blockade. As the borders were blocked for more than a year and passenger transportation was suspended, the embassy’s family members had to travel 32 hours by train and 2 hours by bus from Pyongyang and then push the cart along the railroad for about 1 km.

It is known that the long-term border blockade has caused a serious shortage of daily necessities, threatening the lives of North Koreans. An official from the Czech Embassy in North Korea said through Free Asia Broadcasting (RFA) on the 10th, “I have not been able to find sugar and cooking oil at all for several months.” “Coffee and toothpaste have disappeared, and the prices of locally grown vegetables and fruits have increased significantly.” Russian Ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Machegora, also complained in an interview with the local media on the 9th that “even basic foods and medicines have become difficult to obtain.”

Externally, it has been argued that it is a clean country with no confirmed or fatalities from Corona 19, but the actual situation in North Korea is estimated to be different. This presumption is supported by the fact that Pfizer recently attempted to hack the original technology for vaccines and treatments. Compared to South Korea, which is aiming to form collective immunity within this year, starting with the first vaccination on the 26th, North Korea’s plans to supply and receive the Corona 19 vaccine are unknown. If it is impossible to form a collective immunity on its own, it is expected that the suffering of North Koreans will continue this year as long as the situation of Corona 19 globally does not improve.

On the other hand, corona 19 quarantine is the highest priority policy of Chairman Kim Jong-un, following last year. At the second plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Labor Party, which ended on the 11th, Chairman Kim said, “Take new measures to ensure that the National Emergency Defense Command maintains the greatest tension and awareness and establishes strong quarantine regulations throughout the country.” The leadership was strongly pressed.

Go Young-kwon reporter [email protected]

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