North Korea COVID Cases Fluctuate as Restrictions Relax and Kim Praises Vaccines

MAY 31 2022·Updated DEC 29 2022

Story

Image credit: koreaherald

The Facts

Following official media reports of a potential relaxation of restrictions in North Korea's "fever" outbreak - widely believed to be COVID - cases rose to over 100K/day Sun. following a brief lull to 89.5K daily cases reported Saturday.
Al Jazeera
Total official infections reported are greater than 3.55M, with 70 fatalities.
Al Jazeera
On Mon., S. Korea's unification ministry stated that N. Korea's COVID situation "has been improving and stabilized outwardly," yet there was still uncertainty regarding data and the North's internal dynamics. It was also reported that residents in Pyongyang are allowed to leave their homes and that businesses and facilities are restarting operations.
koreaherald
N. Korea has also reportedly began its first COVID vaccinations, however, jabs are only reserved for soldiers working on construction projects. Public messaging has reportedly referred to vaccines as an "immortal potion of love" and a gift provided by Kim Jong-un.
NDTV
While it's unlikely that North Korea had no previous COVID cases, this is probably the country's first major outbreak. It may be tied to the more transmissible Omicron variant, as well as several events in April - including a military parade involving 20k participants.
NBC
Offers of help from other nations have largely been ignored by Pyongyang so far. Some analysts believe that Kim Jong-un may be willing to accept a large number of cases and deaths to avoid opening the country to international scrutiny.
guardian

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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The Spin

Narrative A

This is a potential humanitarian catastrophe for North Korea and the entire world. The hermetic nation shunned vaccines and international engagement to battle the pandemic, and its population is now vulnerable to the ravages of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant. Concerningly, this makes North Korea a potential ground zero for new variants that could ultimately affect the globe.

wapo

Narrative B

The world has the tools to handle COVID now. Vaccines and boosters are great, but Omicron is mild and spreading too quickly to be stopped. We should aim for natural herd immunity and vaccinate only the vulnerable. Resistance is futile.