김정은, 특급경보 발령..."코로나의심 탈북민 분계선 통해 월북"<br /><br />North Korea has imposed a 'maximum emergency system' over a suspected COVID-19 case which, if confirmed, would be the first officially recognized case in North Korea.<br />Hong Yoo reports.<br />North Korea shifted its state emergency anti-epidemic system to the "maximum emergency sytem" and issued a top-class alert over the weekend.<br />The decision was reached at an emergency politburo meeting of the Workers' Party on Saturday that was convened by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in response to a defector returning to North Korea from South Korea with COVID-19 symptoms.<br />The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Sunday that the defector had illegally trespassed the Military Demarcation Line to Gaeseong on July 19th,…three years after defecting to South Korea.<br />The 24-year-old is believed to have swum back to the North after being investigated for rape allegations in the South, according to multiple media reports in South Korea.<br />It added that multiple medical check-ups of the man's upper respiratory organ and blood were conducted, which showed an uncertain result that can be described as a suspected case of coronavirus,...the first in North Korea.<br />The man has been quarantined along with people that came into contact with him for five days in Gaeseong.<br />The city has been on a complete lockdown since Friday, when Kim Jong-un was first notified about the matter.<br />At the politburo meeting, Kim launched an investigation into how the man managed to cross the border and said those responsible would be severely punished.<br />North Korea closed its border in late January to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 and had so far claimed to have zero cases.<br />The regime has been emphasizing the need to always wear face masks and strictly practice virus prevention measures.<br />Hong Yoo, Arirang News.<br />
