North Korea says South will ‘pay dearly’ for questioning its Covid success story

North Korea lashed out at the “reckless” comments of a South Korean minister on Wednesday, after Seoul openly questioned Pyongyang’s claims to have not had a single Covid-19 case.

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said South Korea’s Kang Kyung-wha risked further damaging the already strained relations between the neighbours for saying it is “hard to believe" the North Korean coronavirus success story. 

“It can be seen from the reckless remarks made by [Kang] without any consideration of the consequences that she is too eager to further chill the frozen relations between North and South Korea, Ms Kim said in statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

“Her real intention is very clear. We will never forget her words and she might have to pay dearly for it,” added Ms Kim.

As well as being the North Korean leader’s sister, Ms Kim has forged a strong position for herself in the ruling Workers’ Party, holding the portfolio for inter-Korean relations, and is seen as the country’s de facto second-in-command.

Speaking at a forum in Bahrain on Saturday, the South Korean foreign minister said the North had been unresponsive to the country’s offers to help in fighting against the disease.

“They still say they do not have any cases, which is hard to believe. So, all signs are the regime is very intensely focused on controlling the disease that they say they do not have.”

She added that the pandemic has made “North Korea more North Korea”, with a more closed decision-making structure.  

North Korea has insisted that it is Covid free since the start of the pandemic, in spite of its long land border with China, the country where the virus originated. 

At the same time, North Korea’s state media have repeatedly said there is a “maximum emergency” in its anti-epidemic campaign, for which the country has shut its international borders and flown out diplomats with suspected symptoms along with some residents.

Experts have countered North Korea’s claims, saying that regardless of the drastic measures it is highly unlikely that the country has not had a single case. 

North Korea further tightened security at its borders and cut off nearly all trade with both its main trading partner China and also Russia to prevent a coronavirus outbreak. Movement of people in the capital city Pyongyang remains restricted, with operations suspended in hotels, restaurants and other public places.  

The comments from Ms Kim also came as US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is visiting Seoul to discuss North Korea and other issues.

South Korea’s spy agencies report that Kim Jong-un has ordered diplomats overseas to refrain from any actions that could strain relations with Washington with a new president, Joe Biden, about to take office.