North Korea allows its nationals abroad to return to the country, which further relaxes the strict confinement imposed since 2020 to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. This was reported by state media on Sunday, August 27.
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According to the official KCNA news agency, the state’s epidemic emergency prevention center announced that “ citizens abroad were allowed to return home “. ” Returning individuals will be placed under appropriate medical observation in quarantine centers for one week “says the agency, adding that the decision was made because of” improving the state of the pandemic globally “.
Fight against the pandemic
North Korea closed its borders in early 2020 to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are growing signs that the country is moving towards reopening. After a three-year shutdown, the national airline Air Koryo, for example, has resumed international commercial flightsone of which landed in Beijing on Tuesday.
Last week, a delegation of North Korean athletes was allowed to leave the country to take part in a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan. And last month, Chinese and Russian dignitaries attended a military parade in Pyongyang. They were the first senior foreign officials to visit North Korea in several years.
Failing health system
Despite signs of easing, however, some analysts believe North Korea is not yet quite ready to fully reopen its borders since North Koreans have not been vaccinated. Added to this is a failing health system in a country that has no Covid-19 vaccines, antiviral drugs or mass testing capacity.
(With AFP)