Kim Jong Un Orders Tightening Of The Anti-COVID-19 Emergency System

JAKARTA - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the tightening of the anti-corona virus emergency system in the face of a worldwide pandemic.

The statement was made by Antara on Monday, November 16, as Kim Jong Un chaired a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party politburo broadcast by state news agency KCNA.

The meeting comes amid the economic and political uncertainty surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic that is putting additional pressure on the North Korean economy, which has been hit by international sanctions aimed at halting its nuclear program.

Kim Jong Un's presence at the meeting was his first public appearance in 27 days, Kim stressed the need to remain vigilant and intensify anti-epidemic work, KCNA reported.

North Korea has tested more than 12,000 people and reported no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, as of early November, according to the World Health Organization.

A total of 6,173 people, 8 of whom were foreigners, were detected as suspected cases and 174 people were quarantined in the last week of October, the WHO said.

More than 54 million people have been reported infected by the new coronavirus globally and 1,312,334 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Kim has asked his country to start an 80-day campaign to achieve its goals in every sector before a congress in January to decide on a new five-year plan.