After Secret Trip, Kim Jong-un Declares "Ultra-Alert Emergency Quarantine" for COVID... Silent on US Election

Presiding over the Party Politburo Enlarged Meeting... Public Appearance After 26 Days
"Build a Perfect Lockdown Barrier, Intensify Emergency Epidemic Prevention"

The 20th Enlarged Meeting of the 7th Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was convened on the 15th at the Central Committee Headquarters, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 16th.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un ended his 26-day absence and held an expanded meeting of the Workers' Party Political Bureau, ordering measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to establish discipline within the party organization. Although a week has passed since Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate, was confirmed as the winner of the U.S. presidential election, Kim remained silent on the matter.

On the 16th, North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency reported, "The 20th expanded meeting of the 7th Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee was convened on November 15 at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee," adding, "Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong-un participated in the meeting."

Chairman Kim had not appeared in public since paying respects at the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Martyrs' Cemetery in Hoechang County, South Pyongan Province, on the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's participation in the Korean War on October 22 (based on the report date), but reappeared in public on the 26th day.

First, the meeting discussed measures to strengthen COVID-19 prevention. The report stated, "The Supreme Leader Comrade gave a detailed analysis and evaluation of the recent serious global spread of the malignant virus and the state of national quarantine," and "emphasized maintaining a state of maximum alertness, building a perfect blockade barrier, and intensifying the emergency anti-epidemic campaign."

On the 15th, North Korea held an expanded meeting of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee chaired by Chairman Kim Jong-un, according to the Rodong Sinmun on the 16th. At the meeting, the criminal acts of the Party Committee of Pyongyang Medical University were criticized, and measures to strengthen the prevention of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were discussed. The appearance of Kim Yo-jong (red circle), the first deputy director of the Party and Kim Jong-un's younger sister, was also captured.

There was no mention of the U.S. presidential election. This appears to be because President Donald Trump is contesting the election results. Even during the 2000 U.S. presidential election, which was not resolved cleanly, North Korea issued its first message only after 11 days. Additionally, the close relationship between Chairman Kim and President Trump is interpreted as a reason for North Korea's cautious response.

The expanded meeting also strongly criticized the criminal acts of the Party Committee of Pyongyang Medical University. The report said, "The meeting sharply criticized the Pyongyang Medical University Party Committee for committing serious criminal acts, and the relevant departments of the Party Central Committee, judicial prosecution, and security organs that failed to strengthen party guidance, disciplinary measures, legal supervision, and control, thereby protecting, condoning, and encouraging the crimes, for their irresponsibility and extreme negligence in duty." It also added, "Materials analyzing anti-socialist acts appearing in educational institutions and society at large were reported, and serious discussions were held on decisively eradicating these issues."

Even if North Korea issues a message regarding the U.S. presidential election soon, it is widely expected that the tone and content will be mild. North Korea is currently focusing all efforts on internal organization, such as COVID-19 prevention and flood recovery, ahead of the 8th Party Congress scheduled for January next year. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said, "They are emphasizing the establishment of a perfect emergency blockade quarantine and focusing on the '80-day campaign' again," adding, "It is expected that this discipline establishment trend will continue until the end of the year, and messages toward South Korea and the U.S. will be limited for the time being."

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