North Korea Mulls Easing COVID Lockdown, Claims Pandemic Spread Is 'Controlled And Bettered'

After a wave of COVID-19 cases that threatened to derail North Korea's domestic economy, the hermit country has reportedly made progress in controlling the pandemic.

What Happened: Policymakers "positively appreciated that the spread of the pandemic is controlled and bettered on a nationwide scale," state-run media KCNA reported.

The positive assessment came following a consultative meeting of the Polit Bureau of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea held on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

At the meeting, officials discussed measures to continue stabilizing and improving the anti-epidemic efforts while further consolidating the experience accumulated during the initial stage of the anti-epidemic work, the report added.

The number of new cases with fever has come down from nearly 400,000 11 days ago to 89,500 on Sunday, and more than 106,390 infected persons completely recovered from May 27 to May 28. For a second straight day, no new deaths were reported among those showing fever symptoms.

Related Link: As North Korea's COVID-19 Cases Soar, The Hermit Country Turns To Questionable, Unproven Treatments

Why It's Important: North Korea for the better part of the COVID waves, that have been ravaging the world since early 2020, had suggested immunity from the crisis. Detractors, however, say that a lack of testing was the reason behind the lack of reported incidences.

Given North Korea's isolation from the world due to its belligerent stance and its unvaccinated status, the current outbreak in the country was feared to have a far-reaching impact on the nation.

Incidentally, after initially rejecting the COVID vaccine, and recommending several unproven remedies to its citizens, North Korea reportedly began vaccinating its soldiers. The country's officials calling the jab an "immortal portion of love" from their supreme leader.