‘Rising’ illness in North Korea triggers 5-day lockdown in capital

COVID-19

‘Rising’ illness in North Korea triggers 5-day lockdown in capital

Notice says residents must stay in homes, submit to temperature checks in first citywide lockdown in eight months

Chad O'Carroll | Colin Zwirko January 25, 2023

‘Rising’ illness in North Korea triggers 5-day lockdown in capital

Workers wearing orange protective outfits disinfect a locked-down area | Image: KCNA (June 6, 2022)

North Korean authorities have ordered a five-day lockdown for Pyongyang residents starting Wednesday due to "rising" cases of respiratory illness, according to an official DPRK government notice seen by NK News.

The order comes a day after NK News reported that Pyongyang residents appeared to be stocking up on goods after receiving advanced warning of the coming lockdown.

About the Authors

Chad O'Carroll

Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.

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Colin Zwirko

Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. He joined the company in 2018 after receiving a master's degree in international security and foreign policy from South Korea's Yonsei University. Follow him on Twitter.

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