North Korea despot Kim Jong-un made his first public appearance in 22 days amid a coronavirus lockdown in the secretive state.
Kim visited a national mausoleum and marked the anniversary of the late leader Kim Jong Il's birth.
He paid tribute to the statue of the former leader at Pyongyang's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, his first public
appearance since he attended Lunar New Year celebrations on January 25.
North Korea has not confirmed any cases of coronavirus yet, but state media said the government was extending
to 30 days the quarantine period for people showing symptoms.
Meanwhile all government institutions and foreigners living in the country were expected to comply "unconditionally."
Late leader Kim's birthday, Feb. 16, is a national holiday
celebrated as the Day of the Shining Star.
Accompanying Kim to the mausoleum were high ranking party officials including Choe Ryong Hae, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and Pak Pong Ju, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission.
North Korea is said to have instilled a ruthless approach to dealing with coronavirus.
It was reported last week that an official suspected of having coronavirus was executed for defying orders by taking a trip to public baths.
The trade official had been placed in medical quarantine after returning to the authoritarian country from China.
After the government worker was caught going to a public bath however, he was arrested and immediately shot, North Korean sources told Donga.
A different official, who worked at the country's National Security Agency, was demoted to working on a farm because he hid a recent trip to China.
