September 23, 2023
COVID-19

North Korea enacts medicine laws after death penalty decree on COVID supplies

Supreme People’s Assembly also passes aerospace development law ahead of full session announced for Sept. 7

North Korea enacted three new laws on Sunday related to securing medical supplies and punishing violators amid the country’s COVID-19 outbreak and recovery efforts, according to state media.

While short on details, the announcement comes after authorities posted a decree warning of the death penalty for stealing or illegally selling medicine at the height of the outbreak in May, suggesting the new laws also relate to efforts to shore up the state medicine distribution system after violations.