'COVID Emergency' North Korea Loads Antipyretics and Painkillers on Three Large Transport Aircraft from China

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un is wearing a mask. / Photo by Korean Central TV, Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] It has been confirmed that North Korea, where COVID-19 fever patients are surging, urgently dispatched three Air Koryo aircraft, its national airline, to China to transport medical supplies.

According to multiple sources familiar with North Korea on the 17th, three Air Koryo aircraft arrived one after another at Shenyang Airport in Liaoning Province, China, on the morning of the previous day, loaded medical supplies prepared in advance at Shenyang Airport, and then returned. The aircraft are IL-76 multipurpose large transport planes with a cargo capacity of 50 tons, known as the largest transport aircraft North Korea possesses.

This is the first time Air Koryo aircraft have come to Shenyang since February 2020, about two years and four months after the COVID-19 outbreak began. One source said, "This was a special flight organized to transport medical supplies in relation to the COVID-19 spread situation," adding, "Only medicines were loaded on the transport planes this time, and it appears that no Chinese personnel boarded."

The medical supplies transported by North Korea are presumed to include antipyretics, painkillers, and masks. It has not been specifically disclosed whether COVID-19 diagnostic kits or vaccines were included.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing the previous day regarding North Korea-China quarantine cooperation, "The two countries have a fine tradition of helping each other in times of crisis. We hope to win the battle against the pandemic together with the international community, including North Korea."

According to the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea's National Emergency Anti-epidemic Command reported that from 6 p.m. on the 15th to 6 p.m. on the 16th, approximately 269,510 new fever patients occurred nationwide, about 170,460 recovered, and six died.

From the end of last month until the afternoon of the previous day, the total number of fever patients nationwide was about 1,483,060. Among them, about 819,090 have recovered, and about 663,910 are receiving treatment, the agency reported. The cumulative death toll so far is 56.

Meanwhile, on the 17th, the Presidential Office stated that although North Korea has not responded to the proposal for working-level talks to support COVID-19 quarantine efforts, it will continue efforts to make contact possible.