South Korea Deplores North's Accusations of Exporting Coronavirus

SEOUL (Sputnik) - South Korea bemoaned the repeated accusations of Pyongyang that Seoul introduced the coronavirus to North Korea, the South Korean ministry of unification said on Thursday.

"We strongly deplore the extremely harsh and threatening remarks that North Korea made to the South Korean government at the national meeting of reviewing the emergency anti-epidemic work, repeating its far-fetched claims about the infiltration routes of the coronavirus to the country," the South Korean ministry said.

Earlier in the day, North Korean media reported that the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, announced the victory over the coronavirus outbreak at the national meeting of reviewing the emergency anti-epidemic work. Kim's sister and deputy director of one of the departments of Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, Kim Yo Jong, pinned the blame on Seoul for introducing the coronavirus to the country and warned that Pyongyang would "destroy" the South Korean authorities if they provoke the penetration of the virus into North Korea.

In early July, North Korea said that the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country started in the village of Ipho near the South Korean border. The index cases are believed to be an 18-year-old soldier and a 5-year-old child, who reportedly touched "alien things," possibly leaflets and other materials that are commonly sent by South Korean activists over the border.