North Korea has expelled 27 foreigners who tested positive for HIV, the virus that usually leads to the deadly disease, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

The Pyongyang Times, a North Korean English weekly, said in its publication on December 4 that the North is the only country in the world that has no AIDS-related patients so far.

Han Kyong-ho, director of the Central Hygienic and Anti-Epizootic Center said in an interview with the weekly that all 27 foreigners who were tested HIV positive were sent home upon their request.

Han said the World Health Organization sent an expert to North Korea to conduct AIDS tests on 200 local agricultural workers who had been to Africa and found that no one had been infected with the HIV virus.

He also said the country has tested more than 400,000 people for AIDS since 1989, and that none have tested positive except the 27 foreigners.