WHO sends anti-Covid medical supplies to Pyongyang

The World Health Organization's latest report does not specify what kind of supplies will be shipped. The supplies will come from the Chinese port of Dalian. Seoul confirms reopening of sea routes. Still no official case of Covid-19 registered in North Korea.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - North Korea will receive anti-Covid medical supplies reports the World Health Organization (WHO), specifying that the material will be delivered through the Chinese port of Dalian.

In July last year, the communist regime had closed the shipping route connecting Dalian to its port of call in Nampo.

The weekly WHO statement issued does not say what kind of medical supplies will be shipped; since the document refers to the period September 20-26, it seems plausible that shipments began as early as the end of last month.

An official at the Ministry of Unification in Seoul declined to comment on the WHO report. He did admit, however, that there have been signs in recent days that shipping routes between Pyongyang and Beijing have opened up: "China's customs data show that maritime shipping routes between North Korea and China appear to be opening."

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, North Korea has claimed to be free of the coronavirus and has refused all supplies of vaccines offered so far by other countries, including China.

According to an earlier WHO report, 40,700 citizens have been tested for Covid-19, but "as of September 23, 2021, no cases have been reported."

• north korea
• pyongyang
• oms
• covid-19
• pandemic
• vaccines
• cases
• restrictions
• port
• sea route
• china
• dalian