North Korea Warns of 'Grave' Coronavirus Incident

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says a "grave incident" has threatened his country's coronavirus prevention efforts — a rare admission by Pyongyang, which claims to be free of COVID-19.

During a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim chastised senior officials for unspecified carelessness related to the coronavirus pandemic, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Wednesday. The officials "have caused a grave incident that poses a huge crisis to the safety of the nation and its people," KCNA said.  The report provided no details about the "grave incident" or how it posed a threat.