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No sign North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been vaccinated: Seoul spy agency
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has lost up to 44 pounds but has no major health issues affecting his rule, according to a South Korean lawmaker briefed by a spy agency, reports Bloomberg.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, PC: Social Media
SEOUL: There is no sign that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been inoculated against the coronavirus and his country hasn't received any foreign vaccines, South Korea's spy agency said Thursday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
The National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that it hasn't detected any information that North Korea has acquired vaccines, according to Ha Tae-keung, one of the legislators who attended the session. He quoted the NIS as saying there were no signs that Kim has been inoculated.
COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, said in February that North Korea could receive 1.9 million doses in the first half of the year. But the shipment hasn't been made, and there have been no reports that North Korea has tried to secure vaccines elsewhere for its 26 million people.
The NIS has a mixed record in reporting developments in North Korea, one of the world's most secretive countries. Some non-government experts have speculated that Kim and his top deputies may have received vaccines imported through unofficial channels.
The World Health Organization said last week that North Korea has reported to it that it has tested 31,794 people for the virus through June 24 and that all were negative.
Kim in recent speeches has called for the nation to brace for prolonged COVID-19 restrictions, indicating the country isn't ready to reopen its borders despite the massive toll on its economy, which had already been devastated by years of mismanagement and U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear program.
According to the NIS briefing, North Korea had planned to reopen its border with China in April but shelved the idea due to a shortage of disinfecting equipment, Ha said.
UNICEF, which procures and delivers vaccines on behalf of COVAX, said it remains unclear when vaccines could be delivered in North Korea, which has yet to complete its paperwork for receiving supplies from COVAX.
"WHO and UNICEF have been working with the (North Korean) Ministry of Public Health to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility. However, (North Korea) has not received vaccines through the COVAX Facility yet and there is no confirmation when the country will receive them," UNICEF said in an emailed statement.
Kim has repeatedly urged the North Korean public to unite under his family's leadership to build a self-reliant economy and withstand pandemic-related difficulties.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lost nearly 44 pounds
Recent North Korean photos show Kim looking much thinner, sparking speculation that he might have health issues. The NIS said it believes Kim went on a diet to improve his health and lost 10-20 kilograms (22-44 pounds) between February and June.
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