North Korea declares “victory” in the fight against COVID-19

Kim Jong Un’s sister claims leader had ‘high fever’ during outbreak

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday declared victory in the fight against the health crisis caused in his country against COVID-19.

“I solemnly declare victory in the maximum emergency anti-epidemic campaign to exterminate the new coronavirus that had broken out in our territory and protect people’s lives and health,” the North Korean leader said in remarks carried by KCNA.

For this reason, the North Korean government has decided to reduce the “maximum emergency” quarantine level to a more flexible isolation, according to the South Korean agency Yonhap.

“Our party and government have evaluated the current quarantine situation and (…) have come to the conclusion that the virulent epidemic crisis that has been created in the country has been completely resolved,” Kim detailed in his speech to the Communist Party Central Committee.

The declaration of victory against COVID-19 is interpreted as an apparent triumph against South Korea, since Pyongyang accuses Seoul of having introduced the coronavirus from the border between the two countries. This same Thursday, the South Korean Unification Ministry has assured that these accusations are unfounded.

KIM JONG UN’S “HIGH FEVER”.

For her part, Kim Yo Jong, younger sister of the North Korean leader, has assured that the national crisis has been “clearly caused by the anti-republican confrontation madness of the enemies who are trying to crush our country by igniting the global health crisis,” Yonhap has reported.

“The fact that the area near the frontline is the initial source of the outbreak made us feel deeply concerned and suspicious of South Korea,” he has added during his address to the committee, assuring that “a strong response” should be taken in retaliation.

“If the enemy continues to do dangerous things that can introduce viruses into our republic, we will respond by eradicating not only the virus but also the South Korean authorities,” added Kim, whose speech has sparked speculation about a possible contagion from his brother.

He has assured that the North Korean leader had a “high fever” during the work to contain the outbreak, although without clarifying whether it was due to a possible coronavirus contagion.

During the worst of the COVID-19 wave, as many as 200,000 cases were reported in the Asian country in May in just one day. Since the end of July, however, there have been successively zero cases, prompting Pyongyang to ease isolation measures.