N. Korea warns not to play with snow over COVID-19 concerns
- 3 years ago
북, "눈싸움, 회식 자제"...외국 대사관에 '깨알' 방역 지침
North Korea still maintains that it's not had a single case of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, it's ramped up what appears to be equivalent to social distancing measures.
They're reportedly asking people to cancel gatherings and getting nitty gritty - even warning against snowball fights.
Kim Dami has more.
Around this time of the year, North Korea normally likes to like show off its landmark Masikryong Ski Report and air footage of people enjoying winter sports.
But not this year in the pandemic.
To control the spread of the virus, the regime has banned all kinds of gatherings and closed schools.
According to the Russian embassy in Pyeongyang, the North's foreign ministry has warned embassy officials not to dine out with more than ten people or go to snowball fights.
A medical center has been set up at the embassy for body temperature checks and hand disinfection. And all communication with the North Korean authorities is to be done on the phone.
In addition, all officials must leave the office by 6 PM, and restaurants must close at 9 PM.
Normally, diplomats in Pyeongyang are relatively free in terms of where they go, so this shows that North Korea too is on its highest alert.
"There's a strong directing coming down from Kim Jong-un himself to be accepting about COVID-19 infection, and this is essentially taking to the extreme measures we're hearing about this non-sensical preventive measure such as not touching snow."
In fact, South Korea's National Intelligence Service reported last month that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had an official executed in August for bringing banned goods into the regime in violation of the stronger controls at the border because of the pandemic.
Also according to South Korean intel, the regime has banned fishing... and salt production... in the apparent belief that the sea can be infected with the coronavirus.
Kim Dami, Arirang News.
North Korea still maintains that it's not had a single case of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, it's ramped up what appears to be equivalent to social distancing measures.
They're reportedly asking people to cancel gatherings and getting nitty gritty - even warning against snowball fights.
Kim Dami has more.
Around this time of the year, North Korea normally likes to like show off its landmark Masikryong Ski Report and air footage of people enjoying winter sports.
But not this year in the pandemic.
To control the spread of the virus, the regime has banned all kinds of gatherings and closed schools.
According to the Russian embassy in Pyeongyang, the North's foreign ministry has warned embassy officials not to dine out with more than ten people or go to snowball fights.
A medical center has been set up at the embassy for body temperature checks and hand disinfection. And all communication with the North Korean authorities is to be done on the phone.
In addition, all officials must leave the office by 6 PM, and restaurants must close at 9 PM.
Normally, diplomats in Pyeongyang are relatively free in terms of where they go, so this shows that North Korea too is on its highest alert.
"There's a strong directing coming down from Kim Jong-un himself to be accepting about COVID-19 infection, and this is essentially taking to the extreme measures we're hearing about this non-sensical preventive measure such as not touching snow."
In fact, South Korea's National Intelligence Service reported last month that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had an official executed in August for bringing banned goods into the regime in violation of the stronger controls at the border because of the pandemic.
Also according to South Korean intel, the regime has banned fishing... and salt production... in the apparent belief that the sea can be infected with the coronavirus.
Kim Dami, Arirang News.