Lockdown in North Korea: Kim Jong Un takes to the streets to fight pandemic

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THE North Korean army start to distributes medicines for the treatment of covid-19 in Pyongyang pharmaciesas the epidemic spreads across the country, with the official KCNA agency talking about almost 1.5 million cases of “fever”.

The leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un has imposed national lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of covid-19 in the country, whose population is not vaccinated, while deploying the army to assist in the fight against the epidemic.

Hundreds of members of the Korean People’s Army, wearing camouflage uniforms, gathered in Pyongyang, according to images broadcast by the KCNA.

The army “developed its strong forces in all the pharmacies of the city of Pyongyang and began to distributes medicines as part of a service that operates 24 hours a day“, Said the same source.

Kim Jong Un on Monday sharply criticized the North Korean authorities for the way they manage the epidemic, mainly for their inability to keep pharmacies open 24 hours a day.

From last Thursday, when the country announced the first case of covid-19the North Korean leader has personally taken over the management of the fight against the epidemic, which, according to him, has caused “great upsetIn North Korea.

Authorities announced more than 1.48 million cases of “fever” and 56 deaths after the appearance of covid-19 in the country, while “at least 663,910 people are receiving treatment».

Chronic malnutrition

The North Korean authorities have intensified the Population awareness campaigns and laboratories have increased drug productionbroadcast by KCNA.

The country’s health system ranks 19th out of 195 countries, according to a report by Johns Hopkins University last year. The country’s hospitals do not have sufficient equipment, while intensive care units are few. According to experts, North Korea has no cure for covid-19 and does not have the ability to perform mass tests on its population.

«Most North Koreans suffer from chronic malnutrition and are not vaccinated, there are virtually no more medicines in the country and health facilities are unable to deal with this pandemic.Said Lina Yoon, a Korean researcher at Human Rights Watch.

She called on the international community to contribute to the country medicines, vaccines and medical equipment.

So far, Pyongyang has not responded to Seoul’s offer to help.

South Korea’s new president, Yoon Sok-gel, has taken a tougher line than his predecessor on the neighboring country.

However, yesterday he stated before the National Assembly that “will not hesitate to offer the necessary assistance to the North Korean people“, If he accepts it.

Despite the health crisis, new satellite images show that North Korea has resumed construction of a nuclear reactor, which had been suspended for a long time. Washington and Seoul suspect Pyongyang is preparing for a nuclear test, which will be the seventh in its history and the first after 2017.

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