Key to Great Victory in the Anti-Epidemic Work in DPRK

-Love and Dedication Brought a Great Victory in Anti-Epidemic Work

At the national meeting of reviewing emergency anti-epidemic work held on August 10, in Pyongyang - the capital city of the DPRK – the respected General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea proclaimed to the world the victory in the top-level emergency anti-epidemic war to wipe out novel corona virus within the territory of our Republic and defend life and health of our people.

Our people are now expressing the deepest gratitude to the respected General Secretary who has brought about miraculous anti-epidemic triumph unknown to the world’s healthcare history by means of ardent love and devotion in a short period: 100 days since the inflow of the malignant virus and 91 days since we switched the national anti-epidemic work to a top-level emergency anti-epidemic system.

When everyone was at a loss what to do before the terrifying fact of the inflow of the malignant virus, the respected General Secretary convened 8th meeting of the Political Bureau of the 8th Central Committee of the WPK and other important Party meetings one after another and saw to it that the national anti-epidemic work was switched to the top-level anti-epidemic system and strong and proactive anti-epidemic policies and measures were taken.

Active anti-epidemic measures were enforced accordingly; every region and unit was locked down across the country, intensive screening and strict examination of the entire population was carried out, state reserve medicines were immediately released and promptly delivered to the disease-affected areas, etc.

In addition to this, many works were conducted on a national scale to wipe out the malignant pandemic from our territory at the earliest time possible and restore anti-epidemic stability. They include stricter measures of medical monitoring, quarantine and treatment for suspect cases, rational application of scientific treatment tactics and methods, works for increasing scientific anti-epidemic awareness of the entire population and wide dissemination of common knowledge about prevention and treatment of the disease.

The respected General Secretary was not satisfied with such a strong and timely national step taken one after another. He did not hesitate to visit pharmacies exposed to the malignant virus to inquire in detail about actual state of medicine supply and also sent his family’s reserve medicines to the needy families. This has inspired and encouraged the people across the country.

He also sent the military medics of the Korean People’s Army to the emergency anti-epidemic front of the capital city so as to give full display to the might of army-people unity, and led the entire people to tide over the difficulties by dint of the communist virtue and traits of helping and leading each other.

During the days of the top-level emergency anti-epidemic war, he himself was suffering from a high fever. But he could not go to bed even for a single moment as he was sunk in thought about the people he should take responsibility till the end. The number of document he personally guided with regards to the anti-epidemic work was 1,772 of 22,956-page long. Through this fact alone, we can fully understand the world of fervent love and devotion he bestowed on people to protect them from the threat of malignant disease, who were as same as blood and flesh to him.

“If it were not our Marshal…”, this is the confession from the bottom of hearts of our people who saved themselves and their children and restored their health and laughter at the expense of the love and devotion of a great father.

Until today, the people of numerous countries in the world are still living in anxiety and fear as their countries continue to record the increase in the number of infected and mortality case caused by the malignant virus. Along with the malignant virus, all sorts of social evils brought by the prolonged health crisis are also threatening the lives and existence of people every moment.

But our people are experiencing the joy of a new life on this clean land, the only virus-free zone in the world, which has been exchanged with the love and devotion of the respected Comrade General Secretary.

Indeed, the person who brought the great victory in anti-epidemic work is none other than the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, and his fervent love and devotion for people was the main source which gave birth to a new miracle, the unheard-of miracle in preventing epidemics in the world.

-Example Set by DPRK in War against Covid-19

On August 10 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea suspended the operation of the self-instituted top-level emergency anti-epidemic system.

That day President Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs, in his speech at the National Meeting of Reviewing the Emergency Anti-Epidemic Work, declared that the Covid-19 that made inroads into the territory of the DPRK had been exterminated, and that victory had been achieved in the war for defending the life and health of its people.

-World Records Seen through Figures

With the rapid increase of fever cases owing to the infiltration of the malignant virus, on May 12 the DPRK instituted a top-level emergency anti-epidemic system, taking the measure of locking up the entire country by region and by production, working and living unit. This measure was lifted 91 days later.  The country, which had set the world record of being the virus-free zone for two years and three months, the longest period in the world, set another world record in containing the spread of the malignant virus and exterminating it.

In fact, the country had effectively controlled the spread of the virus well before the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system was lifted. As a result, from the fifth day since the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system was put in place, it reversed the nationwide spread of the disease to a containable, manageable and stable phase, and thus firmly stood a good chance of winning in the anti-epidemic war. The daily number of fever cases that recorded hundreds of thousands in the early days of the spread of the malignant virus decreased to less than 90 000 one month later; the number then continued to decrease, and since July 29 no suspect case was reported.  In other words, it checked the spread of the virus within 80-odd days, and restored stability in its anti-epidemic work. This is another world record in containing the spread of Covid-19.

In view of the fact that the country had not vaccinated its population against the disease even once, it is really surprising that the death toll is 74, or 0.0016% of all fever cases. 

During the period, more than 71 200 public health workers and over 1 148 000 hygiene activists were mobilized across the country every day for identifying and treating fever cases, while thousands of former public health workers volunteered for this effort. These are not small numbers in consideration of the fact that a system of doctors taking responsibility of the health of a certain number of households has been established and medical institutions and public health workers can be found in every corner of the country.

Contrasting Phenomena

To look back, different reactions appeared among the people throughout the world when Covid-19 began to spread.  The rich people in the capitalist countries including the United States vied with one another for evacuation to islands in the oceans and uploaded the photos of their luxurious life on the Internet.   Others bought goods in heaps, and even purchased weapons in anticipation of social chaos.  Claiming “freedom,” some even did not wear masks and held meetings in violation of the anti-epidemic regulations like keeping social distancing. Such self-centred behaviours gave birth to indescribable sufferings and death of many people.

But in the socialist DPRK the entire population voluntarily observed the anti-epidemic rules and regulations in response to the measures taken by the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and the government. Every one regarded it as compulsory to wear mask, wash and disinfect hands and keep social distancing, and helped and led one another forward.

When the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system was put in place, Kim Jong Un personally visited the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters and some pharmacies in Pyongyang, and donated the medicines his family had prepared to the Headquarters Committee of the WPK, asking it to send them to the needy families. Following his example, officials of the Party organizations and government organs at different levels, ministries and central institutions, to say nothing of officials of the WPK Central Committee, worked with devotion for the safety of the people, donating money, daily necessities, food grains and medicines for the families that were in need of help.

Many ordinary people, too, donated money, daily necessities and food grains they had saved to the war veterans, honoured disabled ex-soldiers and those who were experiencing difficulties in living.

Virus-Free Zone

On August 12 people throughout the DPRK, except those in the border and frontline areas, showed up without wearing masks. What does it suggest?

First, the country has physically become a virus-free zone.

So far whenever their situation got better in terms of the spread of the malignant virus, many countries lowered the level of anti-epidemic measures.

The DPRK did not follow suit. Even when there was no other fever case, the country did not get relaxed. After closely watching the anti-epidemic situation for more than ten days to be absolutely sure about the security of its people, it uninstalled the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system and then allowed its people to go about without wearing masks.

It shows that there are no infections in the territory of the country.

Second, the country is confident that it is ready to cope with any public health crisis in the future.

The country had demanded that its people wear masks compulsorily even when the virus had not made inroads into its territory for the material and technical foundations of its public health sector were weak and the anti-epidemic system was inelastic.

It achieved great victory in the anti-epidemic war on the strength of all-people resistance and all-people turnout, the unique superiority of its style of socialism and in this course gained rich experience. At present it is pushing forward with the work of strengthening the state anti-epidemic capability, including consolidating the material and technical foundations of the public health sector and establishing a well-regulated anti-epidemic system. That it has set up a higher anti-epidemic wall to prevent the infiltration of other malignant viruses and that it is confident that it can cope with any critical situation on its own–this is a dignified look of the DPRK, a virus-free zone, which has allowed its people not to wear masks.

-Emergency Anti-epidemic Campaign in the DPRK & Some Facts

On August 10 last, the National Meeting of Reviewing the Emergency Anti-epidemic Work was held with the attendance of       Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs, in Pyongyang, the capital city of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

In his speech at the meeting, Kim Jong Un said he reached the conclusion that the epidemic crisis which was prevalent in the country has completely been tided over, and declared that the country has achieved victory in the top-level emergency anti-epidemic war of exterminating the novel coronavirus that made inroads into the territory and of defending the people’s lives and health.

As a result, the DPRK has completely removed the epidemic crisis that was unexpectedly created in last May and has been restored into a coronavirus-free zone in which there are no suspected cases and patients under treatment.

The world is still undergoing the epidemic crisis. Amazing reality prevailing in the DPRK can be said a miracle noteworthy in the world’s healthcare history. It is quite meaningful.

Insoluble Mystery

In last May an unforeseen emergency occurred as the malignant virus made inroads into the territory of the DPRK which had remained in peace for more than two years by the country’s strict measures against coronavirus since the initial days of the outbreak of pandemic.

The Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK government promptly responded it with an overall, resolute and offensive anti-epidemic war.

Since May 12, the state emergency anti-epidemic work was switched over to the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system and measures were taken to blockade the whole country region by region and to cut off the work, production and living units from one another.

 Accordingly, intensive examination and checkup of all the population have been conducted across the country, the reserve medicines of the state have been immediately released and all pharmacies operated under the 24-7 service system. Almost 3 000 combatants of the medical field of the Korean People’s Army were seconded to supply medicines and treat patients in Pyongyang. More than one million officials, teachers and students of the anti-epidemic and public health sectors took part in intensive examination and medical checkup in relevant regions. In fact, the measures were unprecedented in the world as no other country had implemented such measures so thoroughly.

Thanks to above-mentioned measures, the daily number of fever cases that recorded hundreds of thousands in the early days of the spread of the malignant virus decreased to less than 90 000 one month later; the number then continued to decrease, and since July 29 no suspect case or patient under treatment was reported. Those who have died in this period number 74 in total, a record low, which would be called an unheard-of miracle in the world public health circles in terms of the fatality rate. This tremendous success achieved in anti-epidemic war that has lasted for over 100 days since the Covid-19 made inroads into the territory of the DPRK and for a matter of 91 days since the top-level emergency anti-epidemic system was put in place, is a miracle noteworthy in human history and a great victory achieved by the Korean people.

As regards to the anti-epidemic war in Korea, the world commented in admiration it as an insoluble mystery and legend-like reality.

What Kind of Factors Brought about the Legend-like Reality?

The amazing miracle wrought in the anti-epidemic war is attributable to following facts.

First, it is attributable to preemptive and offensive, scientific and strict measures against COVID-19 taken by the WPK and the DPRK government.

With the establishment of a top-level emergency anti-epidemic system as soon as the anti-epidemic crisis came, the WPK and the DPRK government adopted appropriate and optimum policies in time to manage the situation of the outbreak of the infectious disease and block the source of its spread.

In particular, the strong measures of locking down every region and every unit across the country played a decisive role in reversing the prevailing anti-epidemic crisis in a short period of time. In fact, these were strict measures which no other country could adopt except the DPRK.

Second, it is attributable to a high sense of organization, voluntary unity of action and purposeful enthusiasm on the part of the entire population.

The measures of locking down every region and every unit across the country were a severe trial for the Korean people.

However, an iota of vacillation, weakness, pessimism and fear was not witnessed among the Korean people. Firmly united around the leader and the Party, they displayed an excellent trait of regarding all the anti-epidemic measures, regulations and directives as a natural mission for the sake of the state, their families and for themselves, observing them voluntarily and conscientiously and executing them without fail. The fortitude and joint efforts the Korean people displayed in unanimously responding to the state’s policy served as a source of strength unique to the DPRK which enabled the country firmly standing a good chance of winning in the anti-epidemic war.

Third, it is ascribable to the people-oriented character and vitality of the public health system set up in the country.

Even though the foundations of the anti-epidemic work and material and technical foundations of the public health sector were weak and the country was inexperienced in this work, the district doctor system, emergency medical service system, telemedicine system and other people-oriented and advanced medical service systems that have established for past decades were put into effective operation. During the top-level emergency anti-epidemic period, more than 71 200 public health workers and over 1 148 000 hygiene activists were mobilized across the country every day for the anti-epidemic and treatment works, while thousands of former public health workers volunteered for this effort. In particular, the KPA medics who were seconded to the capital city on the special order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea have performed outstanding feats on the front of the emergency anti-epidemic war. Thus the formidable anti-epidemic and treatment tasks could be carried out successfully.

Fourth, it is attributable to the communist virtues and traits displayed by the Korean people.

During this period, the Korean society’s tenderness and human feeling of helping and caring for one another in the face of hardships were displayed more warmly and strongly. Various types of more than 8 000 mobile service groups were organized, and many people sent medicines, materials for anti-epidemic work, food grains and fund to the anti-epidemic and curative and preventive organs and the needy families. Such benevolent supporters were everywhere–in the capital city and provinces, in factories and rural and fishermen’s villages–and include the broad sections of society, ranging from officials to even children’s union members.

Fifth, it is attributable to the outstanding leadership of Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

In fact, Kim Jong Un, endowed with far-sighted clairvoyance and ardent love for the people, wisely organized this campaign and unyieldingly led it to a successful conclusion.

He took series of appropriate and resolute special measures in the early days of the outbreak of the worldwide public health crisis and put forward original strategies and tactics at important meetings of the Party held on several occasions. He also had reserved medicines prepared by his family sent to needy families and visited in person the pharmacies in Pyongyang to learn about the supply of medicines. During the top-level emergency anti-epidemic period, he gave teachings and tasks on over 580 occasions, went over 22 956 pages of 1 772 documents. These facts are an eloquently proof of how painstakingly he made efforts for the emergency anti-epidemic war.

Through the emergency anti-epidemic war in the DPRK, the world came to appreciate President Kim Jong Un more keenly.