N. Korea leader sends consolation letter to Moon over epidemic

President Moon Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

President Moon Jae-in has received a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offering consolation to South Koreans in their struggle with the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday.

“On Wednesday, President Moon received a personal letter sent by Chairman Kim Jong-un. In the letter, Chairman Kim conveyed his message of comfort to the South Korean people who are battling against the outbreak of COVID-19, and expressed his confidence that they will prevail in this fight,” presidential spokesman Yoon Do-han said during a briefing.

“Chairman Kim also conveyed his best wishes for the continued good health of the people in the South.”

The letter also contained Kim’s appreciation of the rapport he shares with Moon.

“Chairman Kim said he was worried about President Moon’s health and also expressed his frustration that there wasn’t much that he could do to help at this moment. In addition, Chairman Kim underlined his unwavering friendship and trust toward President Moon and said that he will continue to quietly send his best wishes for the President to overcome the COVID-19 hardship.”

Kim’s letter also touched on “thoughts and positions on the situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” but the presidential office did not elaborate.

Moon sent a response to Kim, Thursday, expressing his gratitude for the North Korean leader’s letter, Cheong Wa Dae said.

It did not say how the letters were exchanged.

Kim’s letter came just one day after his sister Kim Yo-jong, who serves as the first vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, issued a hostile statement toward Cheong Wa Dae’s condemnation of an artillery exercise in the North.

“Such incoherent assertion and actions made by Cheong Wa Dae only magnify our distrust, hatred and scorn for the South as a whole,” the statement said.

A day before the North fired two projectiles in its “exercise,” Monday, Moon called on the two Koreas to work together to fight against the virus.

“I am looking forward to cooperation with North Korea on healthcare as well. The lives of the Korean people will be safer when the two Koreas can respond together when infectious diseases spread among humans and animals, and jointly cope with disasters and catastrophes in border areas, and climate change on the Korean Peninsula,” he said during a speech to mark the March 1 Independence Movement against Japanese colonial rule.

Pyongyang has not made any specific response to the proposal yet.