Data from Chinese customs officers point to a temporary cessation of trade. The DPRK itself is still silent about the decline in imports. “The interruption of trade shows that the problem is already huge. Or they are afraid of what could break out in a country where healthcare is not very well secured and advanced, “says sinologist Filip Jirouš.
Other limitations also show the seriousness of the situation. On Sunday, the authorities increased the number of watchtowers at border crossings. In coastal areas, the rules for sailing to sea have been tightened. “Another irrational measure is that North Korea has banned fishing and salt production at sea to prevent the virus from being infected with seawater,” said South Korean lawmaker Ha Tae-keung.
There is no official coronavirus in the DPRK
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the DPRK’s ruling elite has repeated that there is no contagion in North Korea. The state media reassures that the coronavirus is under control and that there is a strict quarantine within the country. But the real numbers are not known. The West has virtually lost direct contact with what is happening. “It is practically impossible for a country next to China and Russia to have no cases,” adds Jirouš.
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Beijing claims that restrictions on imports from China have also affected imports from North Korea. It is said that it fell by more than 70 percent year-on-year.
Trade with neighboring countries has become increasingly difficult for North Korea over the past two years. Due to sanctions, he cannot import many things. The permeable northern border with China was her last lifeline. Some commentators warn that its rupture could lead to chaos and a new famine.
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