#North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lifts lockdown on border city

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has lifted the lockdown of a city near the border with South Korea, which closed down three weeks ago because of a possible case of coronavirus, according to news reports.

State media said Friday that Kaesong had re-opened. It was shut down last month when a North Korean man who had defected to the South and then returned to the city was thought to be showing virus symptoms. State media did not say whether it had been a false alarm, Reuters reported Friday.

The World Health Organization said later test results on him were inconclusive.

The Hermit Kingdom has still not reported any cases of COVID-19 although there is no way to independently confirm that the country has remained virus-free.

Kim told a ruling party politburo meeting Thursday that the country must remain vigilant and refuse outside help to help with recent flooding in the country to ensure the virus is kept out.

“The worsening global situation on the malignant virus requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work,” Kim said in comments carried by the KCNA.

Floods have wiped away farmland and destroyed 16,680 houses and 630 public buildings, and damaged bridges, railroads and power plants in North Korea, KCNA said.