North Korea has proclaimed its triumph over the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming only 74 lives were lost in a "miracle" unprecedented in public health history. However, revelations from a report published on Tuesday paint a vastly different picture. The document, prepared by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and the George W. Bush Institute, accuses the government of fabricating its claims and leaving many citizens without crucial health care or support during the crisis.
The report highlights that as the pandemic unfolded, the already dire economic and health conditions for common North Koreans sharply deteriorated due to Pyongyang's efforts to downplay the virus's spread. The authors based their conclusions on interviews with 100 individuals from within the isolated nation, conducted through an intermediary who engaged them in "casual, in-person conversations." These conversations provided a rare insight into the extent of human suffering within North Korea amid the pandemic.
One interviewee recounted that nursing homes were overwhelmed with fatalities during the winter of 2020, stating, "there weren’t enough coffins." The report asserts that the government’s negligence was "abominable." It notes that widespread deaths and illnesses attributed to suspected Covid-19 cases began as early as 2020, well before North Korea acknowledged its first outbreak in May 2022.
Access to essential resources remained scarce, with citizens lacking vaccines, antiviral treatments, and even basic protective gear throughout the pandemic, despite global supply availability. Approximately 90 out of the 100 interviewed reported never having been tested for Covid-19, and nearly 40 indicated they had not received any vaccinations. A total of 92 participants suspected they or acquaintances had been infected but lacked the means to confirm it.
Local health officials reportedly misrecorded Covid diagnoses and deaths out of fear of punishment for not conforming to the government's narrative of no cases. Citizens were also reluctant to report their ill health due to fears of government retaliation, which could result in detention or strict lockdowns that would exacerbate existing food shortages.
The report highlights that as the pandemic unfolded, the already dire economic and health conditions for common North Koreans sharply deteriorated due to Pyongyang's efforts to downplay the virus's spread. The authors based their conclusions on interviews with 100 individuals from within the isolated nation, conducted through an intermediary who engaged them in "casual, in-person conversations." These conversations provided a rare insight into the extent of human suffering within North Korea amid the pandemic.
One interviewee recounted that nursing homes were overwhelmed with fatalities during the winter of 2020, stating, "there weren’t enough coffins." The report asserts that the government’s negligence was "abominable." It notes that widespread deaths and illnesses attributed to suspected Covid-19 cases began as early as 2020, well before North Korea acknowledged its first outbreak in May 2022.
Access to essential resources remained scarce, with citizens lacking vaccines, antiviral treatments, and even basic protective gear throughout the pandemic, despite global supply availability. Approximately 90 out of the 100 interviewed reported never having been tested for Covid-19, and nearly 40 indicated they had not received any vaccinations. A total of 92 participants suspected they or acquaintances had been infected but lacked the means to confirm it.
Local health officials reportedly misrecorded Covid diagnoses and deaths out of fear of punishment for not conforming to the government's narrative of no cases. Citizens were also reluctant to report their ill health due to fears of government retaliation, which could result in detention or strict lockdowns that would exacerbate existing food shortages.
