As the COVID-19 outbreak continues in North Korea, authorities warn citizens to “vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena.”
North Korea claims to have discovered the cause of its COVID outbreak: citizens touching “alien things” near the South Korean border.
State media outlet KCNA reported, “It was known that an 18-year-old soldier surnamed Kim and a 5-year-old kindergartener surnamed Wi made contact with extraterrestrial beings on a hill near barracks and residential quarters in Ipoh-RI in early April.”
The couple exhibited symptoms and subsequently test positive for the coronavirus.
Ipoh-RI is located on the east coast near the South Korean border.
“The results of the investigation revealed that several people who traveled from Ipho-RI in Kumgang County, Kangwon Province, to the capital city in mid-April had a fever, and a sharp increase in fever cases was observed among their contacts,” the KCNA reported.
The North Koreans were admonished to “vigilantly deal with alien objects carried by wind and other climate phenomena, as well as balloons, in the border regions.”
North Korean defectors and South Korean activists used to fly balloons carrying leaflets and humanitarian aid across the heavily guarded border.
The South Korean government stopped this practice in 2020, citing safety concerns, although critics claimed the move was intended to improve relations with North Korean authorities.
The South Korean Ministry of Unification stated on Friday that there is “no possibility” of COVID-19 entering North Korea via contaminated balloons launched from South Korean territory.
In the meantime, North Korea claims that its COVID outbreak is subsiding, but this claim is difficult to evaluate.
Due to a rumored lack of COVID tests, North Korean health officials only report the number of people with fever symptoms, rather than confirming that they have COVID.
Since late April, 4.74 million fever patients have been recorded in the country, which reported an increase of 4,570 cases on Friday.
The country confirmed the outbreak for the first time in May, prompting international concern over the vulnerability of its unvaccinated and severely malnourished population.
Several countries have offered assistance, including vaccines and medical supplies, but the North Korean foreign ministry responded angrily on Thursday to an offer from the United States.
According to the ministry, the United States is only offering assistance to silence critics of its hostile policy toward North Korea.
According to North Korea, this hostility is demonstrated through military exercises and ongoing sanctions aimed at compelling Kim Jong Un to end his nuclear program.
The North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the United States had failed to handle its COVID-19 crisis and that it should abandon its “foolish” aid offer and focus on its issues.
