Ministry of Unification: "No Requests Yet from International Organizations for COVID-19 Aid to North Korea"

"Inter-Korean Quarantine Cooperation Shows No Significant Progress"

North Korea is further strengthening its organizational political work and hygiene propaganda efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) within the country, the Workers' Party's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on the 23rd. Medical staff at the Potonggang District People's Hospital are holding a meeting.

Regarding COVID-19, as movements by private international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support North Korea with quarantine supplies become visible, the Ministry of Unification stated on the 25th that no related organizations have yet made support requests to the government side.

On this day, a Ministry of Unification official told reporters that in response to a question about whether any support requests from private international organizations had been received, "None have been officially received so far." The official added, "If support requests from private organizations come in, we will consult with those organizations and disclose relevant information considering the matter and its nature."

It is known that there has been no particular progress regarding inter-Korean quarantine cooperation. The official said, "There has been no progress related to (inter-Korean quarantine cooperation), and there is nothing to report at this stage."

When asked whether mask support for vulnerable groups among North Korean defectors is being considered amid a nationwide mask supply crisis, the official explained that there is no decision yet, saying, "We will check."

Regarding the recent murder case involving a North Korean defector, the official said, "Since it is a matter under police investigation, we will wait for the final investigation results and then disclose (measures, etc.)." On the 24th, the Hwaseong Western Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that they had arrested and were investigating A (40, male) on suspicion of murder. A was caught after killing a woman he lived with in an apartment in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, disposing of her body in a travel bag, and fleeing.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) announced that the United Nations had exempted North Korea from sanctions to support medical equipment and diagnostic kits related to COVID-19 response. The items requested for sanction exemption reportedly include protective suits and goggles for quarantine, testing instruments and reagents, and infrared thermometers.

In a statement released on the 24th (local time), the IFRC said, "If COVID-19 breaks out in North Korea, it would threaten millions of people already in need of humanitarian aid," adding, "Personal protective equipment, diagnostic kits, and essential supplies to prepare for a possible outbreak are urgently needed."