Kim of North Korea calls for the prevention of natural disasters and outbreaks of COVID-19

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un urged efforts to prevent natural disasters or coronavirus outbreaks from harming the economy while convening a ruling party’s politburo meeting state state media reported Friday.

Economic plans dominated the agenda of Thursday’s meeting in Pyongyang, KCNA news agency reported.

The country’s economy has been hit by international sanctions and self-imposed border blockades and moves aimed at preventing a coronavirus outbreak. Heavy seasonal rains and typhoons have raised more concerns about food supply damage.

“(Kim) stressed the need to take comprehensive measures to overcome an abnormal climate whose danger has increased in recent years,” KCNA said.

Among the work Kim called for was river improvement, reforestation for erosion control, dam maintenance, and tidal embankment projects.

North Korea has not confirmed any cases of COVID-19, but has closed borders and imposed strict prevention measures, as it considers the pandemic to be a matter of national survival.

“The current dangerous situation of the global pandemic, which maintains control of the spirals, demands stricter prevention of the epidemic nationwide,” Kim said, according to KCNA. “Tightening the prevention of the epidemic is the most important task that should not be let go for a moment in the current situation.”

According to international officials, North Korea has rejected shipments of Chinese vaccine Sinovac Biotech COVID-19, as well as doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. Read more

Report by Josh Smith Edited by Alistair Bell

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