Top DPRK leader holds politburo meeting to discuss anti-virus situation

Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, presided over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, discussing anti-virus measures, budget issues and organizational matters, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday.

In the meeting, a resolution was adopted "on more thoroughly taking national measures for protecting the life and safety of our people to cope with the worldwide epidemic disease," the report said.

The government took strict top-class emergency anti-epidemic measures from the outset and established thorough-going organization, consistency and compulsoriness in the nationwide protective measures, it said, adding that the country has been maintaining very stable anti-epidemic situation.

The DPRK, which closed its border with China in late January, is one of a few countries in the world that claim to have no COVID-19 infections so far.

The meeting called for consistently strict national countermeasures to thoroughly check the inroads of the virus amid the rapid spread of the pandemic.

It also studied and approved "On the execution of the state budget for 2019 and the state budget for 2020" and discussed organizational matters, including the appointment of Kim Yo Jong, the top leader's younger sister, as alternate members of the Central Committee of the ruling party, the report added.