US President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol have offered North Korea corona aid. The leaders met in Seoul, among other things, about the outbreak of the virus in the isolated country and the missile tests that the regime is carrying out in Pyongyang.
Leaders say they are concerned about the outbreak. “We are ready to work with the international community to help North Korea fight the virus.” Biden has said that the US has offered corona vaccines, but that there has been no response. The help previously offered by the newly appointed Yoon has also not been accepted so far.
The countries have also announced that they are considering stepping up joint military exercises because of the “threat” from North Korea in response to this year’s many missile tests. The two presidents are committed to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea, Yoon said, adding that “nothing is more important than a strong deterrent”.
The fact that North Korea is offered aid despite the missile tests, according to Yoon, has to do with “humanitarian principles that are separate from political and military issues”. Due to the lack of a vaccination campaign, the poor North Korean population is not protected against Covid-19. Pyongyang first reported corona infections and deaths earlier this month. The number of infections may have reached several million. The recorded death toll is 66.