North Korea May Declare Victory Over COVID-19 Soon As Kim Jong-Un Seeks To Strengthen His Image

North Korea, which announced its first COVID-19 case last month, may already be preparing to declare victory on the contagious virus that has affected and killed millions worldwide; at least this is what experts think.

What Happened: State-owned media in the hermit kingdom has reported a steadily declining number of COVID-19 cases, making it appear inevitable the nation will defeat the virus with no vaccines and limited testing capabilities. 

According to a recent tally by KCNAWatch, almost 18% of the nation of 26 million people showed symptoms of COVID-19, but less than 100 have died. The numbers tell a totally different story from all other countries.

AFP reported that the South Korean government and some experts believe the numbers have much to do with propaganda to boost Kim Jong Un's strong and clever guidance. 

Moon Seong Mook, an analyst with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, reportedly said there were two sides to such a declaration from the country led by Kim Jong-un.

"If North Korea says that COVID-19 has gone, it can emphasize that Kim Jong-un is a great leader who has overcome the pandemic. But in doing so, it can't maintain the powerful restrictions it uses to control its people," he added.

Not The Full Truth

While the real situation is unclear, external monitoring groups say they haven't detected signs of anything catastrophic.

Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University in South Korea, said "If a large number of people had died, there would have been some pieces of evidence, but there haven't been any."

Kang Mi-jin, a North Korean defector in Seoul, told AFP that three of her contacts in North Korea's Hyesan told her over phone that most of their family members suffered from suspected COVID-19 symptoms, but no relatives or acquaintances died of it, though hearing rumors of such deaths in other towns.

'It Always Wins'

Ahn Kyung-Su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea said the secretive nation may officially announce victory over the virus when its daily fevered cases and the pandemic situation in neighboring ally China cools down significantly.

"According to North Korea, it defeats everything. It doesn't acknowledge things that it can't overcome. It always wins absolutely, no matter whether it faces military, economic or pandemic difficulties," Ahn said.