Coronavirus: North Korea Speculation -

[RomanesEuntDomus]

Kim Jong Un isn't even in charge there, really. It's his father's old guard and their cronies.
A lot of insiders have theorised he's in a state of constant "protection" and only trotted out for important things.

If true, that is a really cunning strategy on their part, too.

Just use Kimmy Fat-Un as figurehead while you run the show. Shit goes south? Well, guess who betrayed the great vision of his father, grandfather and the people of best Korea, who was also secretly working with the swine imperialists of Washington and South Korea? Must be the same asshole that's dangling from a lamppost outside the palace.
Thank our beloved father of our nation, Kim Il Sing, that Kim Pu Ppet is now in charge, being kindly advised by Generals, that have always had a hand in guiding Best Korea!

You can just axe the fat bastard and replace him, when sacrificing a low-level pawn is insufficient.

It's times like these where I wish I could be informed about anything going on in Korea. Would be so interesting to see where they deploy their troops, what they aim for, what they know and what they don't know. Some of these things are known to various secret services no doubt. Troop deployment can be easily tracked via satellites.

 

[not william stenchever]

Using FlaK as test for everybody with a fever works well...

Turning someone with the virus into a fine cloud of rapidly expanding mist could not possibly have any side effects, either.

 

[Richard Harrow]

North Korea insists it has no coronavirus cases, despite scepticism

Isolated North Korea said it is Covid-19 free after it quarantined all arrivals, closed borders, blocked sea and air lanes, and disinfected all goods.

www.scmp.com

N. Korea still insists that the population has not accrued a single infection. That's right: ZERO infections. Many are finding this to be a nigh impossibility due to their shared border with China and the likely occurrence of unauthorized (and recently unsanctioned) smuggling between the two countries. Recent defectors, according to S. Korean Intelligence, have claimed that N. Korea's proclamation of a virus-free society are wildly untrue.

N. Korea since it's inception has proven to be more or less an intelligence 'blackhole' due to their reclusiveness. Even in the Post-Modern Era, N. Korea has maintained a lockdown on sharing information and providing access to the rest of world. It's hard to substantiate the claims that N. Korea makes, but instead, we can only infer that they are indeed dealing with the biological and/or the economic impact of the pandemic. It usually is telling when defectors are able to cross and "spill the beans," considering once successful defection takes place, they are no longer taking a mortal risk of speaking their mind. Only time will tell.

 

[Richard Harrow]

North Korea’s ridiculous (and evil) ‘virus-free’ boasts

North Korea is telling the world it doesn’t have a single, solitary case of coronavirus. It’d be hilarious if the lie didn’t stand for untold human suffering. “Not one single person has been infect…

nypost.com

From the article: "Most likely, the bug is spreading almost unchecked in a nation where routine malnutrition has left much of the populace immune-challenged and a beyond-rickety health-care system is collapsing."

The persistent hunger and extreme rationing of food is something I considered when thinking about N. Korea's explicit vulnerability to COVID-19. Most of it's citizens live in ramshackle lodgings with deteriorating walls/ceilings and inadequate plumbing (a nightmare scenario for hygiene), many of which house multiple families. To add, Russia sent N. Korea (at their behest) 1500 COVID-19 test kits, which could imply that the rumor of openly executing possible infected citizens was vastly overstated. It could also mean that these test could be reserved for, what N. Korea's gov't would consider to be, valuable citizens and/or officials. There's not enough evidence to know for sure and due to the country's complete lockdown on top of it's reclusiveness, we can only speculate at this point.

Official infected count remains 0 to date.

 

[Gravityqueen4life]

there is no virus in NK because Kim killed all the infected.

 

[sifareh592]

Kim has eaten all the infected and in the coming days will proudly exclaim that he has obtained godlike powers and his farts the power of nuclear bombs by eating the dissidents in his country. A new Fat man will soon be dropped on the capitalistic horde and communism will prevail ALL HAIL Kim chad.

 

[Return of the Freaker]

I legitimately think this event could cause sections of Best Korea to become depopulated.

And then Greta will commend best korea for taking real action against climate change and implore the UN to assist everybody else in catching up

 

[KimCoppolaAficionado]

And then Greta will commend best korea for taking real action against climate change and implore the UN to assist everybody else in catching up

Why the fuck do you let that Swedish goblin live rent-free inside your head like this?

 

[Richard Harrow]

North Korea's Kim Jong Un responds to coronavirus with missiles | DW | 07.04.2020

As the coronavirus crisis rages worldwide, North Korea’s regime has reported zero cases, and instead forges ahead with rocket launches. What is happening behind the borders?

www.dw.com

On March 28th, Doctors Without Borders and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) sent aid packages and various medical goods (which are excluded from UN sanctions) to N. Korea across the Chinese border. However, with such tight restrictions in and out of the country and a mandatory 30-day quarantine (including foreign diplomats and press), it is hard to tell how these goods will be utilized or whether they've performed any degree of testing for COVID-19. With no military drills, no flights (military or commercial), and a near-unprecedented lack of foreign communication, the common speculation is that N. Korea may have diverted the state's resources almost in its entirety to managing an outbreak.

Official infected count: Still zero.

 

[RodgerDodger]

North Korea's Kim Jong Un responds to coronavirus with missiles | DW | 07.04.2020

As the coronavirus crisis rages worldwide, North Korea’s regime has reported zero cases, and instead forges ahead with rocket launches. What is happening behind the borders?

www.dw.com

On March 28th, Doctors Without Borders and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) sent aid packages and various medical goods (which are excluded from UN sanctions) to N. Korea across the Chinese border. However, with such tight restrictions in and out of the country and a mandatory 30-day quarantine (including foreign diplomats and press), it is hard to tell how these goods will be utilized or whether they've performed any degree of testing for COVID-19. With no military drills, no flights (military or commercial), and a near-unprecedented lack of foreign communication, the common speculation is that N. Korea may have diverted the state's resources almost in its entirety to managing an outbreak.

Official infected count: Still zero.

The other huge sign is South Korea reports that the North Korean Army has largely withdrawn from the NK/SK border aside from some basic patrol units. It seems they sent everybody else up to shut down the Northern Border with China. Or they're dead or dying.

 

[mr.moon1488]

1. Given how many Norks work in China, they got it.
2. They're turbofucked; everyone outside of the Kims basically have to rely on traditional medicine, and given how malnorishment fucks with your immune system, I legitimately think this event could cause sections of Best Korea to become depopulated.

I'm not really sure. You have to remember, they have absolutely zero problems with just shooting anyone infected in the back of the head, and then throwing gasoline on them. I think the question would come down to whether or not those measures would actually be effective.

 

[Richard Harrow]

I think the question would come down to whether or not those measures would actually be effective.

I think that's a very good point. Killing those who are explicitly infected isn't taking into consideration the contagiousness of someone who is still asymptomatic. With just 1500 test kits from Russia and a probable lack of testing; bear in mind, such limited tests and a shambling healthcare system, those tests would likely be used only on the most valuable citizens (i.e. healthcare rationing). N. Korea's lack of communication and transparency could be more telling than not.

 

[mr.moon1488]

I think that's a very good point. Killing those who are explicitly infected isn't taking into consideration the contagiousness of someone who is still asymptomatic. With just 1500 test kits from Russia and a probable lack of testing; bear in mind, such limited tests and a shambling healthcare system, those tests would likely be used only on the most valuable citizens (i.e. healthcare rationing). N. Korea's lack of communication and transparency could be more telling than not.

Something else that might be telling is that they didn't use that whole carrier fiasco to sperg out, and threaten Japan, and South Korea.

 

[KimCoppolaAficionado]

I'm not really sure. You have to remember, they have absolutely zero problems with just shooting anyone infected in the back of the head, and then throwing gasoline on them. I think the question would come down to whether or not those measures would actually be effective.

Given that this virus has a long period of asymptomatic contagion? It wouldn't. They would essentially have to kill entire cities in one go in even a mildly pessimistic scenario, and NK's infrastructure is fragile enough that doing something like that would be like playing Speed Jenga while drunk, only knocking the tower over means that your state collapses.

 

[mr.moon1488]

Given that this virus has a long period of asymptomatic contagion? It wouldn't. They would essentially have to kill entire cities in one go in even a mildly pessimistic scenario, and NK's infrastructure is fragile enough that doing something like that would be like playing Speed Jenga while drunk, only knocking the tower over means that your state collapses.

That's actually a good point.

 

[Pee Cola]

You have to remember, they have absolutely zero problems with just shooting anyone infected in the back of the head

That seems like a highly likely scenario. This would mean that, assuming every infected person is shot dead, the DPRK can state that their WuFlu death toll is 0 and they wouldn't be lying.

 

[Richard Harrow]

That seems like a highly likely scenario. This would mean that, assuming every infected person is shot dead, the DPRK can state that their WuFlu death toll is 0 and they wouldn't be lying.

The problem is, with asymptomatic transmission, they'd be playing whack-a-mole for years at that rate.

 

[Pee Cola]

The problem is, with asymptomatic transmission, they'd be playing whack-a-mole for years at that rate.

True, but bullets are way cheaper than WuFlu testing kits.

 

[KimCoppolaAficionado]

True, but bullets are way cheaper than WuFlu testing kits.

Once again: North Korea isn't China, "shooting everyone" isn't a policy they can logistically enact or afford to enact. They rely on China to keep them alive as it is; if their internal structure takes any meaningful long-term damage, they stop existing as a state. They're the Sick Man of Asia.

 

[heathercho]

Once again: North Korea isn't China, "shooting everyone" isn't a policy they can logistically enact or afford to enact. They rely on China to keep them alive as it is; if their internal structure takes any meaningful long-term damage, they stop existing as a state. They're the Sick Man of Asia.

They interestingly cut off China - all deliveries, trains, flights etc early last month. They've got a backlog of export shipments needing to go out but aren't.
Anyway, they're going to hit a starvation crisis before they hit a Corona one.

Their national newspaper said that it was "National Crisis" and I'm inclined to believe that they are indeed taking it seriously. They do have fairly good measures of disease control. I mean they're stupid, but they actually aren't super stupid. This outlines the measures that are known to have been taken. https://archive.vn/RfpyC
They're also having a national government meeting, of which Fatboy will attend on Friday. https://archive.vn/4mNPE

Whilst, yes they certainly could shoot people they're just as likely to do as the WHO guy said earlier this week "remove the sick from their homes and isolate them with dignity" aka barge into homes, divide the sick from the well and "remove" them. Whether they die from Covid19 or a bullet to the back of the head, it's not going to matter because a) they'll die anyway and b) it won't get reported either way.

They aren't as closed off from the world as people think. Countries still have embassies, journalists come and go, things do come in and out. They aren't completely and utterly cut off and they aren't a ridiculously stupid people either.
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Either way, it's really disturbing to me that western countries are like "YES! More authoritarianism, remove our liberties! SAVE US FROM THE VIRUS", yet truly don't understand or care to understand that this is how North Korea and other dictatorships started.
NK started because they wanted protection from the Japs. The Japs were the virus. They wanted help from China and Russia. They were swept up in ideals of socialism in order to survive. Instead, it quickly went to shit and thus, you have North Korea.
People in the west sacrificing liberty, freedom for protection from a virus that has a minimal kill rate is no different than North Korea wanting protection from Japan and turning to China and Russia of all people.
I have blood relations that would be living in North Korea and I've always wondered why my family left before it got to be too much and why others would have stayed. It's genuinely odd to see it playing out in real time atm over this Corona shit. I used to imagine they were just stupid or brainwashed, but this is showing how scarily easy anyone can become a North Korean.