Kim Jong Un Lifts Lockdown In North Korea Imposed 5 Days Ago To Control Unspecified 'Respiratory Illness'

Kim Jong Un eased stringent epidemic controls in North Korea's capital that were placed during the past five days to contain the spread of respiratory illnesses.

What Happened: Kim's administration did not officially acknowledge a lockdown in Pyongyang or a reemergence of COVID-19 after the leader declared a “shining victory” over the coronavirus in August last year. 

However, the Facebook post of the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang provided rare glimpses into the isolated nation's infectious disease controls.

See Also: Kim Jong Un Has Started Succession Planning, Says Expert: ‘Likely To Rule…For The Next 50 Years’

The Russian mission on Monday posted a notice issued by Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry informing foreign diplomats that the "special anti-epidemic period" imposed in the capital since Wednesday had been lifted as of Monday.

Last week, the embassy said that the Asian country's health authorities required diplomatic representatives to keep their employees indoors and measure their temperatures four times a day and report the results. The measures were said to be in response to North Korea's increasing cases of "flu and other respiratory diseases."

The notice, however, made no mention of the spread of COVID-19 or restrictions imposed on citizens.

Meanwhile, North Korea on Sunday criticized the U.S. decision to send tanks to Ukraine, calling it a “criminal act against humanity” aimed at perpetuating an unstable international situation.

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