North Korea declares emergency in border town over first suspected COVID-19 case

SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and a lockdown in a border town after a person suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border, state media said on Sunday.

“It’s an ice-breaking moment for North Korea to admit a case,” said Choo Jae-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University.North Korea is under economic pressure because of international sanctions over its nuclear programme.Cho Han-bum, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said it was significant that North Korea was reporting its first suspected coronavirus case was imported.

KCNA did not elaborate on how the unidentified “runaway” had crossed one of the world’s most heavily guarded borders but said the incident was being investigated and the military unit responsible would face “severe punishment”. “Our military has specified some people and is verifying facts in close collaboration with related agencies,” the JCS said.

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