Kim Jong-un Orders Special Support for Food and Living Expenses for Kaesong Citizens under 'COVID Lockdown' (Comprehensive)

The 4th Political Bureau Meeting of the 7th Central Committee Held
Discussion on Establishment of New Departments and Evaluation of Cadre Work

North Korea's state-run media, Korean Central News Agency, reported on the 6th that "the 4th Political Bureau Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on August 5 at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee."

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, held a Political Bureau meeting of the Party Central Committee and instructed to provide special support of food and living allowances to the citizens of Kaesong, who have been locked down due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

North Korea's state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported on the 6th that "the 4th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on August 5 at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee," conveying this information.

Chairman Kim presided over the meeting and "reviewed the epidemic prevention situation and the report on the actual conditions in the fully locked-down city of Kaesong in accordance with the requirements of the country's maximum emergency system, discussed and decided on the issue of the Party Central Committee providing special support of food and living allowances to stabilize the lives of the people in the locked-down area, and instructed the relevant sectors to take urgent measures related to this," KCNA reported.

North Korea switched its national emergency epidemic prevention system to the "maximum emergency system" and issued a special alert on the 24th of last month, suspecting that a defector who crossed over to North Korea in Kaesong was infected with COVID-19, and completely locked down Kaesong city.

The meeting also discussed the establishment of new departments and evaluation plans for personnel affairs.

KCNA reported, "At the Political Bureau meeting, the organizational issue of establishing a new department within the Party Central Committee was reviewed and deliberated, and ways to fundamentally improve the cadre (personnel) work system within the Party were studied and consulted. The work status of key officials in government institutions was evaluated, and corresponding measures were agreed upon." Analysts interpret this as North Korea's intention to innovatively reorganize the personnel and work systems of major state organs such as the Workers' Party and the Cabinet in the future. Additionally, KCNA stated that practical issues related to internal Party affairs were discussed and approved.

Chairman Kim emphasized, "Members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee must demonstrate infinite responsibility and dedication to decisively improve the work of their respective sectors, maintain the correct work direction and focus to faithfully implement the decisions of the Party Central Committee, meticulously organize the organizational work, and carry out all work in a revolutionary manner in accordance with the Party Central Committee's ideology and policy requirements."

This is the first time North Korea has disclosed the contents of a Political Bureau meeting of the Party Central Committee. The public disclosure of the process of holding a Political Bureau meeting and discussing the reorganization of the Party's internal structure is interpreted as reflecting a principle of emphasizing procedures in state governance and policy decision-making since Kim Jong-un came to power.

The Political Bureau was newly established at the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in 2016 and is composed mainly of vice chairmen responsible for departments of the Party Central Committee.

Attending the meeting were Political Bureau members including Party Vice Chairmen Pak Pong-ju, Ri Pyong-chol, Ri Il-hwan, Choe Hwi, Kim Tok-hun, Pak Tae-song, Kim Yong-chol, and Kim Hyong-jun, along with key officials from major departments within the Workers' Party.

Meanwhile, measures against the monsoon rains were not on the agenda at this meeting. North Korea has been making thorough preparations for flood damage as the risk of the Taedong River overflowing has increased due to the ongoing monsoon rains since the 19th of last month. In particular, the recent rains have concentrated in Hwanghae Province, North Korea's representative granary, raising concerns about a decrease in crop production.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.