Every UN NGO has left North Korea

All of the UN NGOs have left North Korea. There is no one there to help the people if they need it. The NK COVID measures make it impossible for people to stay there.

One by one, European missions have been “temporarily” shutting down offices since March. Meanwhile, U.N. workers have decreased by at least a third, and only three of seven humanitarian organizations remain on the ground.

The Hermit nation truly is that.

In case you missed it, this happened yesterday and it’s a big deal.

Informed sources told @nknewsorg that two WFP staff members and one Concern Worldwide representative left Pyongyang by road yesterday. No UN/NGO staff left in DPRK anymore. https://t.co/EKxVBf2eO6 https://t.co/hv6Owtw0w7

— Jeongmin Kim (@jeongminnkim) March 19, 2021

-There are time-sensitive assistance, like agriculture, TB related work, & they are stalled
-Unclear when and how these people will be able to go back. Resuming programs isn’t like just restarting a clock… much coplicated. The next few yrs will be a mess even if borders reopen

— Jeongmin Kim (@jeongminnkim) March 19, 2021

So why did it become difficult for foreign NGO/IGO staff & diplomats to stay in North Korea?

Big part: DPRK’s draconian COVID prevention measures (don’t play with snow, don’t go out when there’s a sandstorm, don’t go outside PY, etc)

Here’s our trackerhttps://t.co/YOX1r16L8O pic.twitter.com/TkenxdCViT

— Jeongmin Kim (@jeongminnkim) March 19, 2021

Sidenote, potentially related: WHO drops weekly report on COVID data in Asia.

No UN staff in DPRK now & I’m personally concerned how, for months, *zero* info on how many were tested in 2021.

Latest one just says: “No reported cases” as of early March https://t.co/FYnjiq2yHn

— Jeongmin Kim (@jeongminnkim) March 19, 2021