Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
INTERVIEW North Korea's COVID-free claim nonsensical: virologist
Students participate in a dancing party to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong-un's election as the top state leader at the Arch of Triumph plaza in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 11. Officially, not a single person has been infected with COVID-19 in North Korea. AP-Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Hakim Djaballah
The COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the world for more than two years. North Korea, however, is still completely free of the disease, according to its official data.
The latest data available on the World Health Organization website shows “there have been 0 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 0 deaths” in the isolated state between Jan. 3, 2020 and May 10 of this year.
Hakim Djaballah, former CEO of Institut Pasteur Korea and a virologist currently based in New York, believes that North Korea's COVID-free claim is most likely a lie.
“It is very hard to imagine any country being COVID free let alone North Korea,” Djaballah told The Korea Times. “I do not believe their claim, given what has been happening near its borders.”
Visitors walk across the Yalu River Broken Bridge, right, next to the Friendship Bridge connecting China and North Korea in Dandong in northeastern China's Liaoning province, in this Sept. 9, 2017, file photo. About two weeks ago, China suspended railroad freight operations with North Korea. AP-Yonhap
Two weeks ago, China suspended railroad freight operations with North Korea “in light of the current epidemic situation” in the Chinese border city of Dandong. The city government ordered all residents to swiftly return home and stay there, but it did not give any other details.
North Korea has appeared to imitate China's zero-COVID strategy, which involves draconian lockdowns. But unlike China, North Korea lacks food supplies and government efficiency. Moreover, it is unclear how much of the country's population is vaccinated ― a critical factor for the pandemic to become endemic. Even if North Korea can pursue this strategy for a while, it would not be sustainable, Djaballah said.
“Given the current situation in North Korea, I doubt very much that they can successfully apply the zero-COVID policy as China has been doing,” he said. “I find it counterproductive to continue with such policies for North Korea and even for China. I do not think that North Korea is capable of keeping the virus at bay, given what we know about its capabilities.”
On Monday, North Korea called for making more efforts to prevent the spread of the virus amid a growing number of fever patients, though the possible cause of sickness has not been made clear. The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the Workers' Party, urged the public not to let its guard down.
There is little information about vaccination in North Korea, including how many people, if anyone at all, have been vaccinated and what kind of vaccines may have been administered. But based on the situations in other countries, it is reasonable to assume that the virus will not disappear without infecting a certain number of people.
“I imagine that, with Omicron, many countries should have had at least 50-60 percent of their population already infected and recovered from it due to its mild symptoms … They're now on their way to dampen down COVID with the only fearful exception of the appearance of a new and deadly variant,” Djaballah said. “The circulating Omicron and its variants have been helpful in pushing toward an equilibrium with the virus, hopefully sending it into hibernation and we will not hear about it for many years to come.”
“In any case, North Korea can open its doors to independent observers to visit and assess the situation.”
South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol takes an oath during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap
'Yoon should pay attention to health issues in North Korea'
Viruses are not affected by national borders, so an infectious disease threat in North Korea or China today could become a threat to the South tomorrow. This is the message Djaballah has for Yoon Suk-yeol, the new president of South Korea.
“Given the geo-location of both countries, if the virus is active in one, the chance of moving to the other country is very high,” he said. “The current COVID situation would be a great opportunity to enhance bilateral healthcare collaborations and support with the North.”
“I hope there will be a good dialogue between Yoon and North Korea's Kim [Jong-un] to help ease inter-Korean tensions, and at least collaborate on the COVID health crisis.”
Yoon, who was sworn in Tuesday, promised that the government would continue to provide humanitarian aid to the North.