Top North Korean officials sacked after 'crucial' Covid-19 incident

A file photo of Kim at a plenary meeting of 8th central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in this still image taken from KRT footage on June 16, 2021. KRT TV/Reuters

SEOUL (AFP): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un replaced several senior officials after a "crucial" coronavirus incident, state media reported Wednesday (June 30), potentially signalling a breach in the country's epidemic defences.

Pyongyang closed its borders in January last year to try to protect itself against the virus that first emerged in neighbouring China and has gone on to sweep the world.