DPRK leader presides over Politburo meeting on nationwide anti-coronavirus measures

PYONGYANG -- Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), presided over a Political Bureau meeting on Sunday to discuss the country's efforts to fight COVID-19, state media reported on Monday morning.

The Korean Central News Agency said the 20th enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) "discussed in depth the issue of further tightening the state emergency anti-epidemic system in the face of the ever-worsening worldwide health crisis."

At the meeting, Kim analyzed and assessed the serious worldwide spread of COVID-19 and the anti-epidemic situation in his country, and clarified the various tasks on the emergency anti-epidemic front, the report said.

"He also stressed the need to keep a high alert, build a tight blocking wall and further intensify the anti-epidemic work, being aware of the important responsibility for the security of the state and the well-being of the people," the report said.

The DPRK claims to have zero case of COVID-19 but has stayed on high alert since early this year, when it shut its borders and enforced strict anti-virus measures across the country.