In attempt to prevent COVID-19 outbreak, North Korean troops shoot dead South Korean official

After North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean official amidst COVID-19 fears, South Korean President  Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that the act was"shocking" and "unpardonable".

The North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean fisheries official, doused his body in oil, and set it on fire in an effort to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak.

The fisheries official disappeared from a patrol vessel near the western border island of Yeonpyeong on Monday, a South Korean military official told AFP.

North Korean forces located him in their waters and questioned him from a patrol boat, he said, with Yonhap news agency adding his interrogator wore protective equipment.

According to the official, he was killed six-hours after being found.

The South Korean military has stated that it sent a message on Wednesday to the North through the land border demanding explanations, but has not received any response yet.

It is to be noted that North Korea has sealed its border with China in January in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

North Korea is the only country that has not reported a single COVID-19 case even though it shares its borders with China.

In July, its state media said it had raised its state of emergency to the maximum level. 

North Korean officials had earlier closed the border along Kaesong city over COVID-19 fears after a North Korean defector tried to crawl back into the country from South Korea.

Moreover, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has issued shoot-to-kill orders to soldiers stationed at the country's borders to prevent the deadly coronavirus from wreaking havoc in the hermit kingdom. The country has already closed its borders with China on January.