Update, Nov. 5 09:12KT: This article incorrectly stated the Minister of Unification visited the JSA. In fact, he returned to Seoul before that part of the ceremony.

North Korean fears of COVID-19 were evident at a ceremony marking the partial reopening of the Joint Security Area (JSA) on Wednesday, with DPRK soldiers shielding themselves in a building for the duration of a VIP delegation visit.

After Pyongyang introduced shoot-on-sight rulesto prevent COVID-19 from entering the country around border areas in August, it was unclear how the North Korean side would react to Seoul’s invitation of a large delegation of