NK media highlights border control against coronavirus

North Korea’s state media highlighted its rigorous border control to prevent the new coronavirus on Saturday, amid tensions following the shooting death of a South Korean citizen floating in its waters near the inter-Korean border.

Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA) said the country is carrying out perfect border control and aggressive measures to “deal preventively with the pandemic.”

“Aware that the key to preventing infectious diseases at borders, coasts and demarcation lines is closure and containment, we have been promoting people’s awareness and strengthening control,” the agency said.

“To prevent even 0.001 percent of any worker’s chance of error, we have maintained a strict control and training system,” he added.

Pyongyang claims that there has not been a single case of COVID-19 in the country. The communist country closed its border with China in January and issued the maximum level of emergency against the virus in July.

North Korea even issued shoot-to-kill orders for those crossing the border with China, said US Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Robert Abrams.

It is not known if the same orders have been implemented for cases near inter-Korean border areas, but North Korean troops shot and killed a South Korean fisheries official who was adrift in its Yellow Sea waters on Tuesday.

The regime claimed they then set fire to the object it was using to stay afloat in accordance with national emergency quarantine regulations.

North Korea on Friday apologized to South Korea for the incident, but its media has yet to report on the killing. (Yonhap)