- According to a report by Radio Free Asia, North Korea has stated that it will work in groups of more than three for those who violate the new crown virus regulations.
- As long as the number of people stays within 3, weddings are still allowed.
- So far, the Hermit Kingdom has reported zero cases of Covid-19, although experts doubt whether this is accurate.
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North Korea will exert hardship on those who violate Covid-19 preventive measures and gather three or more people outside their homes. Radio free asia The Saturday report cited sources from this secluded kingdom.
“In the past few days, in addition to immediate family members, if four or more people gather to eat and drink, even relatives, the disease control department will send them to labor camps for violating coronavirus quarantine measures.” Otherwise, they will be punished. Huge fines. A resident in the South Pyongyang province near the capital Pyongyang told Radio Free Asia.
The source, who remained anonymous for security reasons, said the order came from the central disease control agency to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 variant.
It is unclear why some people will be fined and some people will be forced to coolies.
Sources said that in one case, a man was fined for holding his son’s wedding at home in mid-July, but was not punished by coolies.
According to the RFA report, the authorities insist that weddings are still allowed. However, they must comply with the quarantine regulations.
The source said that after receiving complaints from residents, the authorities initially excluded the wedding from the ban, but the situation has changed as the number of “suspected coronavirus patients” with “high fevers” has increased. [continued] Since June, this will increase. “
The source said, “The disease control department did not directly prohibit the wedding, but began to crack down on gatherings of more than three guests as a violation of the quarantine regulations.”
These measures appear to be aimed at containing the virus in a country that has not yet officially reported a case of Covid-19, although Experts still don’t believe. In June, the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un criticizes officials Because they are “long-term irresponsible and incompetent” in dealing with the pandemic, this suggests that the virus may have reached its shores.
According to reports, as early as January 2020, when the pandemic first appeared, Pyongyang closed its border with China Japan Times. This Radio free asia It was reported in February that North Korea cremated 12 people who had died of coronavirus-like symptoms.
It is not clear how far North Korea’s vaccination plan is. In March, it was reported that vaccination will begin with nearly 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines donated through the COVAX program of the World Health Organization. fly.
But in late July, Reuters According to the report, North Korea rejected the planned shipment on the grounds of the risk of blood clots from the vaccine, preferring the Russian Sputnik-5 vaccine. Although Russia has provided the vaccine to North Korea, it is not clear whether it has been delivered.
