Kim Jong-un "Thorough COVID-19 Prevention"... Silent on Shooting Death Incident

Presiding over the Party Politburo Meeting... Discussing COVID-19 Response

The 18th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on September 29 at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee in Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency reported this photo on the 30th.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Workers' Party Political Bureau meeting and discussed issues related to emergency measures against the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). He made no mention of the recent shooting death of a South Korean citizen in the West Sea.

On the 30th, North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim presided over the 18th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee at the Party Central Committee headquarters the previous day.

The meeting "pointed out a series of shortcomings in the efforts to prevent the spread of the malignant virus (COVID-19) and deeply studied and discussed relevant issues to intensify the national emergency anti-epidemic work," the agency reported.

Additionally, the meeting included a report on the global spread of COVID-19, and "thoroughly warned against complacency, negligence, irresponsibility, and laxity in the quarantine sector," the agency said. It added that "it was emphasized to further strengthen quarantine measures in our own way and wisdom, to raise the popular quarantine atmosphere and nationwide conscious unity, and to firmly maintain a steel-like quarantine system and order."

Earlier, on the 25th, North Korea sent a notification containing Kim's apology to the Blue House under the name of the United Front Department regarding the incident in which a South Korean official who went missing near Soyeonpyeong Island in the West Sea was shot dead in North Korean waters. However, this fact has not been disclosed by North Korean state media or internally.

Although Kim did not mention the shooting incident during this meeting, some analysts interpret his repeated emphasis on COVID-19 as an indirect message regarding the incident. By portraying a strong commitment to COVID-19 prevention, the intention appears to be to highlight that the shooting death was an unintended consequence of quarantine measures.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, analyzed, "Since the quarantine issue was the top agenda and shortcomings were reviewed, it is highly likely that the recent shooting incident of the official was discussed."

Meanwhile, the meeting was attended by Chief of the General Staff Pak Jong-chon, Minister of State Security Jeong Kyong-taek, Minister of Social Security Kim Jong-ho, Party Department Director Pak Myong-sun, First Deputy Director of the Party Organization Guidance Department Jo Yong-won, Deputy Director of the Party Propaganda and Agitation Department Hyon Song-wol, as well as Politburo Standing Committee members and Politburo members and alternate members including Party Vice Chairmen Pak Pong-ju, Kim Jae-ryong, Choe Hwi, Kim Yong-chol, and Cabinet Vice Premiers Ri Ryong-nam, Im Chol-ung, and Kim Il-chol.

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