N. Korea ends quarantine for foreigners

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang confirmed Wednesday that North Korea has lifted its one-month quarantine for foreigners over the new coronavirus.

North Korea imposed the quarantine for foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations in late January to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late December.

"In a new note from the Protocol Department of the DPRK Foreign Ministry, we were informed that since March 2 when the quarantine ended, besides the network catering for foreigners in the diplomatic quarter, which includes the Pyongyang department store, the Taedonggang diplomatic club and the Rakwon and Taesong department stores will be also open for us," the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said in a post on its official Facebook page Wednesday.

DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

All employees of the Russian embassy and their family members were examined by doctors and received certificates before they were allowed to exit their compounds and enter the city, the embassy said in a post releasing a copy of the certificate.

"Russian diplomats continue to work with their colleagues from the North Korean Foreign Ministry to expand the list of city facilities allowed for visits: an Orthodox church, car repair shops and utility services," it added.

Since late January, North Korea has closed all ports of entry by land, sea and air as part of its efforts to block the COVID-19 virus from entering the country.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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