SEOUL: At a crucial parliamentary meeting, North Korea has developed new instructions on how to handle the nation's emergency health crisis and natural calamities, according to its state media on Friday.
According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) endorsed the law on emergency response on Thursday during its plenary session in Pyongyang.
The law contains instructions on "setting up the regular unified direction" on quickly responding to emergency crises in fields like health and natural disasters, ensuring the procurement of reserve materials, and providing the labour force and materials needed in the emergency anti-epidemic and disaster control field.
Heavy rains have hit North Korea in recent years, which might have a significant impact on the country's agricultural output because of the impoverished country's apparent vulnerability to flooding brought on by inadequate irrigation and deforestation. Since the global Covid-19 pandemic breakout, Pyongyang has likewise increased its efforts to stop the transmission of diseases.
In May, the North recorded its first Covid-19 case, and in August, it "claimed triumph" over the crisis.
In order to "contribute to fully meeting the demand for acquired goods in the sector of the national economy and enhancing the level of people's life by establishing up the tight system and order in procurement," the SPA meeting enacted a new law on procurement, according to the KCNA.
Despite the fact that the KCNA gave no further information regarding the "procured items," observers believe it may be a reference to grains given that Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, called for an increase in the state's agricultural procurement levels at a party congress meeting last year. The North also passed legislation at the meeting regarding the management of animal breeding operations and the protection of novel plant strains.
According to the North's constitution, the SPA is the highest organ of authority, even though it just approves decisions made by the ruling party.
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