North Korean leader guides artillery drills despite coronavirus concerns

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made his second public appearance this week to oversee military drills, despite concerns about the possible spread of the coronavirus. Kim guided the spot drills on Thursday, which included a firing competition by artillery units to evaluate their combat readiness, the official KCNA news agency said on Friday. KCNA said in a separate dispatch that the country was intensifying its prevention efforts.

North Korea, sandwiched between China and South Korea, has not confirmed any cases of the coronavirus but has stepped up border checks and imposed quarantine measures.