North Korea Declares Victory Over Covid, Hints Kim Jong Un Was Infectedaccepting maximum-level restrictions for three straight months.
By Dasl Yoon, Aug. 11, 2022, WSJ
At the Wednesday meeting, Mr. Kim, wearing a black Mao suit, appeared vibrant in photos published by state media. Calling it the “greatest miracle” in global health, Mr. Kim praised the country for exterminating the virus without vaccines and
“The long-suffered quarantine war is finally over and today we are able to solemnly declare victory,” Mr. Kim said.Mr. Kim had avoided the virus, Mr. Hong said, there would be compelling reasons to say that he had been infected.
It is plausible that Mr. Kim contracted Covid, given how he had appeared maskless at several events during the country’s outbreak, said Hong Min, of the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded think tank. But even if
“Claiming he led the country out of the outbreak despite experiencing fever symptoms portrays Kim as a hardworking leader putting the people before himself,” said Mr. Hong, director at the institute’s North Korea research division.
North Koreans were seen crying during the national meeting as the leader’s sister said Mr. Kim had suffered a fever, state media footage showed. Hundreds of maskless attendees cheered after the speech.
The Kim regime has blamed South Korea for its Covid-19 outbreak, claiming that it began after two North Koreans touched “alien things” that had been sent over the border from South Korea, according to a state media report.
It was a swipe against a common Kim regime irritant: antiregime leaflets floated over the border by groups led by North Korean defectors based in the South.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-declares-victory-over-covid-hints-kim-jong-un-was-infected-11660210067
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