N.K. leader warns against accepting outside assistance over flood damage due to virus risk

SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country suffered serious damage from recent heavy downpours but should not accept any outside assistance due to the coronavirus risk, state media reported Friday.

Kim made the remark while presiding over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on Thursday to discuss measures to recover from the flood, stressing the importance of not letting up on anti-coronavirus efforts, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

Kim said the country should further tighten border closures to fend off the virus.

During the meeting, the North also decided to lift the lockdown on Kaesong after three weeks, KCNA said. Earlier, the North completely shut down the border city after a North Korean defector returned home from the South by crossing the military demarcation line.

Parliamentary budget committee chief Kim Tok-hun was also named the new premier to replace Kim Jae-ryong.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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