A task force with the Central Emergency Anti-epidemic Command recently conducted a surprise disease-control inspection in Saebyol County, North Hamgyong Province.
According to a Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province on Jan. 28, the surprise inspection took place at 10 AM on Jan. 18 and was focused on whether hygiene standards were being adhered to in the county.
The six-person task force conducted a thorough, week-long hygiene inspection in line with the county’s “disease-control plan,” which was based on disease control procedures determined during the Fourth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee.
The task force did not inform provincial authorities before the surprise inspection of agencies and homes located in the county. The task force audited all the disease-control records outlining the progress of disease prevention plans at organizations in the county.
“The task force inspected districts, organizations, schools, and even homes in the county, criticizing the lack of disease-control supplies and people’s vigilance [regarding disease-control] while putting up stickers saying that this or that organization had failed to adhere to hygienic standards.”
It was only after the inspection had taken place that the provincial emergency disease-control command and Saebyol County party committee were informed of the task force’s inspection. The source explained that officials from the Saeybol County’s emergency disease-control command and party committee rushed down to an inspection site where a red sticker was put up, holding a meeting to discuss solutions.
At this meeting, officials first established emergency measures related to the reinspection organizations that had failed to past muster. Officials decided to hold a reinspection through the Provincial Emergency Anti-epidemic Command, and report outcomes to the Central Emergency Anti-epidemic Command.
“The Central Committee has criticized the Saebyol County party committee by placing red stickers on buildings at the outset of 2022,” the source said, adding, “The party committee is already fearful about the rebuke that this will bring by the end of the year.”
Meanwhile, it was found that North Korea’s premier had ordered the Central Emergency Anti-epidemic Command to conduct the inspection as a means of cracking down on “persistent attitudes that reduce vigilance in efforts” to keep the coronavirus at bay.
“The task force swept through all areas of the province, including Saebyol County,” the source said. “All the city and county officials are tense because they don’t know when the task force might storm in on them.”
