‘It always wins’: North Korea may declare COVID-19 victory

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Only a month after North Korea acknowledged a COVID-19 outbreak was sickening its people, the country may be preparing to declare victory. Its propaganda insists North Korea has avoided mass deaths and cases are declining. Experts believe North Korea’s disclosures about the outbreak have as much to do with boosting leader Kim Jong Un as providing a true picture of what’s happening. That leaves some experts expecting a declaration of victory over the virus — credited, of course, to Kim’s strong and clever guidance. A declaration now isn’t a foregone conclusion, though. North Korea may wait for better timing while using its anti-virus measures to maintain control over its people.