Edward Howell

The halcyon days of 2018 seem very distant. Two years ago, North Korea sent a delegation to the Pyeongchang winter Olympics; three summits took place between the leaders of the two Koreas; president Trump and Kim Jong-un wined, dined, and produced what John Bolton terms – in his latest book – a 'substance-free communiqué' in Singapore. Now the era of newfound warm relations between Pyongyang and Washington seems to be over.  The 'permanent and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula', to which the two Koreas committed in April 2018, is anything but fulfilled. And if recent events show, relations are in danger of deteriorating rapidly.

South Korea is one of the world’s success stories for tackling coronavirus and president Moon Jae-in's approval ratings have soared to a high of 71 per cent as a result. Yet North Korea has still claimed victory over its South Korean rival when it comes to dealing with this disease. According to the highly secretive regime-state, there is not a single Covid-19 case within its territory. But while Pyongyang is reluctant to come clean about the truth of how widespread coronavirus is, the country's state media hints at what is really unfolding. There was much hullaballoo when Kim Jong-un ‘disappeared’ in mid-April.