President seeks ways to fight flu in the North
Published: 08 Dec. 2009, 22:04
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak ordered his government yesterday to find ways to unconditionally help North Korea deal with a possible outbreak of A(H1N1) flu, saying the disease could do serious damage throughout the impoverished state.
“There are reports of an outbreak of the new flu in North Korea, so find ways to help North Korea after confirming the reports,” the president was quoted as saying in a cabinet meeting.
Good Friends, a Seoul-based aid group, said in its Monday bulletin that North Korea started winter vacation a month early due to the rapid spread of the A(H1N1) virus across the country. About a dozen deaths from the virus have been reported, prompting the North’s Health Ministry to move up winter vacation to Dec. 4 from early January, the aid group said, citing sources inside North Korea.
North Korea has made no announcement yet of any case of the highly infectious disease. During previous pandemics such as an avian flu outbreak in 2004, the isolated country promptly called for international help.
Relations between the two Koreas quickly deteriorated after Lee, a conservative, was inaugurated early last year with a pledge to get tough on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Lee, however, said any assistance to the North in dealing with the new virus is strictly humanitarian and unconditional, said his spokesman, Park Sun-kyoo.
“Such assistance must be provided swiftly as the disease could quickly spread in North Korea where conditions are not so good,” Lee was quoted as saying.
Seoul’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, said it was considering sending a message to North Korea to discuss aid measures, such as shipments of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and other medicine.
But the proposed assistance is still up in the air, with no confirmation of an outbreak from North Korea. Pyongyang has also yet to respond to Seoul’s offer of 10,000 tons of corn aid in October.
“Until now, no official announcement has come from North Korea that the new flu has been detected,” ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said at a press briefing.
The latest aid offer by Seoul coincides with a trip to Pyongyang by Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special representative for North Korea. He aims to bring the North back to the six-nation negotiations over its nuclear program.
President Lee also called for continued efforts to contain the spread of the virus here, saying the number of new cases is dropping but that infections could surge if left unchecked.
A total of 117 people have died from the virus in South Korea, according to government data.
Yonhap
“There are reports of an outbreak of the new flu in North Korea, so find ways to help North Korea after confirming the reports,” the president was quoted as saying in a cabinet meeting.
Good Friends, a Seoul-based aid group, said in its Monday bulletin that North Korea started winter vacation a month early due to the rapid spread of the A(H1N1) virus across the country. About a dozen deaths from the virus have been reported, prompting the North’s Health Ministry to move up winter vacation to Dec. 4 from early January, the aid group said, citing sources inside North Korea.
North Korea has made no announcement yet of any case of the highly infectious disease. During previous pandemics such as an avian flu outbreak in 2004, the isolated country promptly called for international help.
Relations between the two Koreas quickly deteriorated after Lee, a conservative, was inaugurated early last year with a pledge to get tough on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Lee, however, said any assistance to the North in dealing with the new virus is strictly humanitarian and unconditional, said his spokesman, Park Sun-kyoo.
“Such assistance must be provided swiftly as the disease could quickly spread in North Korea where conditions are not so good,” Lee was quoted as saying.
Seoul’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, said it was considering sending a message to North Korea to discuss aid measures, such as shipments of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and other medicine.
But the proposed assistance is still up in the air, with no confirmation of an outbreak from North Korea. Pyongyang has also yet to respond to Seoul’s offer of 10,000 tons of corn aid in October.
“Until now, no official announcement has come from North Korea that the new flu has been detected,” ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said at a press briefing.
The latest aid offer by Seoul coincides with a trip to Pyongyang by Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special representative for North Korea. He aims to bring the North back to the six-nation negotiations over its nuclear program.
President Lee also called for continued efforts to contain the spread of the virus here, saying the number of new cases is dropping but that infections could surge if left unchecked.
A total of 117 people have died from the virus in South Korea, according to government data.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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