The situation in North Korea long has been worrying to those concerned about potentially capricious military actions on the part of paranoid authoritarian regimes. But COVID-19 is presenting new concerns, both to the people of North Korea and the world beyond.
Last week, the isolated nation confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 omicron cases for the first time and state media featured a masked Kim Jong Un. Previously, North Korea said it had prevented any outbreak, although that has not been independently verified. But that position dissolved when a lockdown was called for Pyongyang, and potentially beyond, on May 11.
North Korea has not vaccinated its ordinary population nor does it have adequate COVID-19 testing equipment. The country had refused offers of vaccine help from South Korea and even China, although there were reports Wednesday of a softening of that position, at least in regards to China.
