Korea Risk Group (KRG), the holding company behind specialist North Korea-focused publications NK Pro and NK News, on Monday launched an interactive COVID-19 news, information, and data tracker.

The research tool, which is hosted on the NK Pro website, is being provided free to access in order to better provide information to those working on public health issues relating to DPRK worldwide.

“Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus begun picking up in January, we’ve been paying special attention to how it might impact North Korea,” said KRG CEO Chad O’Carroll.

“Though the DPRK still claims not to have any confirmed cases, we’ve been reporting on a wide range of issues which continue to have numerous impacts on both the people and government of North Korea.”

The goal of the new COVID-19 tracker tool, O’Carroll said, is to provide easy-to-access of all NK Pro and NK News coverage of the issue to-date, open source data from a number of sources, as well as a real-time stream of media reporting at third-party sources.

The team behind the tracker would also appreciate readers’ input on other data, insights or sources to include in the tool.

“If you happen to have information to share with us about the COVID-19 situation inside North Korea — or if you have any ideas about how to improve the Tracker, then please don’t hesitate to let us know,” said KRG CEO Chad O’Carroll.

“Finally, I wanted to say a big ‘thanks’ to our paying subscribers.”

“If it wasn’t for your support through being a member, we would not have been able to create this.”

NK Pro and NK News are independent, privately owned specialist information sources that focuses on North Korea.

The sites intend to bring authoritative news, opinion & analysis, research tools, data and subject specialists together in one convenient place.

The NK News service was established in April 2010 and has staff in Washington DC and Seoul.