Kim Jong-Un, with health workers and scientists, announced the “victory” against the covid pandemic. Photo: EFE
Chairs a meeting with health professionals and scientists, Kim Jong Un announced Thursday the “victory (…) in the war against the malignant pandemic diseaseAccording to the North Korean state news agency KCNA, three months after the regime went into emergency due to the emergence of an outbreak that it has always described as a “fever”, without mentioning the word coronavirus.
After the announcement, Kim Jong-un ordered easing of measures emergency imposed from a maximum level of prevention to a normal level.
The North Korean leader also praised the contributions of health workers to “successfully defuse the serious crisis of the spread of the epidemic” and defended “the country’s social system, which is the best in the world“.
Kim Jong Un makes announcements about the eradication of covid cases. Photo: EFE
Kim himself would suffer from the disease.
Blame it on the south
On May 12, Pyongyang reported its first case of covid-19 for the first time after not disclosing any contagion since the start of the pandemic and blockades imposed across the country, although it has not reported any other suspected cases since July 29.
North Korea, who still he hadn’t given a single vaccine anticovid until May, refused offers of health aid, including vaccines, from Seoul and the United States, but, according to the Global Alliance for Vaccination (GAVI), would accept vaccines from China and already started managing them.
Kim Jong Un and his sister Kim Yo Jong. Photo: Reuters
The leader’s sister, the strong woman of the regime, accused the brochures and other “dirty items” from South Korea for causing the virus epidemic in the North and for proposing harsh measures against the neighboring country.
The woman, who is deputy director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, accuses Seoul of sending brochures infected with the coronavirus in balloons to the North. This is a reference to leaflets sent by groups of North Korean deserters based in the south.
According to an article published this morning by North Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA), the North is said to be ready to respond by “not only exterminating the virus, but also eradicate the South Korean authorities“.
A violent accusation which is part of the war of words that constantly revives the hermit kingdom to strengthen internal unity and, in this case, to disclaims any responsibility in the Covid-19 crisis.
Aware that the North could use its repeated accusations as a pretext for further military provocations, Seoul denounced the “unfounded claims” and said he was firmly prepared for “all possibilities”.
The dictator had covid-19
The leader’s powerful sister also revealed that the president himself became ill during the outbreak.
Kim “had a high fever during the days of this quarantine war, but he couldn’t lie down for even a moment because he thought about the people he was responsible for,” said his sister, portraying his brother as the heroic leader who protects his people. , almost like a deity, something common in the regime and in the way it presents its dynasty.
It is the first time that a senior North Korean official has revealed that their leader, whose health is always under strict control of analysts, was infected with the virus.
The communist regime has one of the worst health systems in the worldwith poorly equipped hospitals, few intensive care units, experts say.
In contrast, South Korea, with a much more advanced health system and a large percentage of the vaccinated population, has a death rate of 0.12%, according to official data.
EFE and RFI
Source: Clarin
