"North Korea Imported Over 3.2 Million Chinese Masks Last Month... Also Purchased Oxygen Respirators"

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un is discussing the COVID-19 spread situation at the Party Political Bureau Consultative Meeting held on the 21st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] It has been reported that North Korea imported about 3.2 million masks from China last month, even before officially acknowledging the occurrence of COVID-19 cases.

On the 28th, Radio Free Asia (RFA) cited statistics from China's customs authority, the General Administration of Customs, reporting that North Korea imported 3,195,000 "face masks" from China last month. This amounts to $82,055 (approximately 103,061,080 KRW). Additionally, about 1,000 oxygen respirators were imported, costing $256,891.

Previously, it was reported that North Korea spent a total of $183,000 to import 7.48 million masks from January to March. By month, expenditures were $57,680 (1,442,000 masks) in January, $86,406 (2.87 million masks) in February, and $39,710 (3.176 million masks) in March.

This shows that North Korea had been importing Chinese masks even before officially acknowledging the occurrence of COVID-19 cases.

North Korea first reported COVID-19 patients on the 12th. At that time, during a Workers' Party Political Bureau meeting presided over by Chairman Kim Jong-un, North Korea officially acknowledged the first confirmed cases since the COVID-19 outbreak began at the end of 2019 and declared the transition of the national quarantine system to the highest emergency quarantine system.

Regarding this, RFA analyzed, "North Korea sought to secure a large quantity of masks necessary for quarantine before announcing the occurrence of COVID-19."

Meanwhile, according to the Korean Central News Agency on the 28th, the National Emergency Anti-epidemic Command reported that the number of new suspected fever patients due to COVID-19 was about 88,520 as of 6 p.m. the previous day. This is a decrease of about 11,940 compared to the previous day and marks the first time since the 12th that the number of new fever patients fell below 100,000.

According to North Korean statistics, the scale of new fever patients surged to a peak with 18,000 on the 12th, 174,440 on the 13th, 296,180 on the 14th, and about 392,920 on the 15th. Thereafter, from the 16th to the 20th, the number remained in the 200,000 range, then decreased to the 100,000 range from the 21st to the 26th, and dropped to about 88,520 on the 27th.

However, there are criticisms that it is difficult to fully trust the statistics announced by North Korea because the number of deaths is too low compared to the scale of fever patients. The National Intelligence Service recently reported to the National Assembly Intelligence Committee that North Korea's statistics are intended to calm public sentiment.

Furthermore, contrary to claims that North Korea is managing the COVID-19 spread independently, it is reported to be receiving material support from allied countries China and Russia. In particular, on the 26th, cargo trains carrying medical supplies for North Korea were operated twice from Dandong, Liaoning Province, China.

Earlier, on the 16th, multiple sources reported that three multipurpose large transport aircraft belonging to North Korea's state airline, Air Koryo, loaded pharmaceuticals at Taoxian Airport in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, and returned to North Korea.