North Korea faces a disastrous epidemiological situation as the highly contagious Omicron sub-variant of COVID-19 moves through the country. Very few, if any, in North Korea have ever been exposed to the virus before, and not one of the DPRK’s 25 million people is known to be vaccinated. 

This makes the country’s population “immunologically naive,” according to multiple epidemiologists who spoke with NK Pro, meaning the population has little to no natural immunity to COVID-19. Coupled with poor public health infrastructure, this vulnerability means Omicron could rampage through the country and cause more severe illness and