More than three million students in North Korea have missed in-person learning as the COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures. 

According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, released on Wednesday, limited or complete school closures between March 11 last year and February 2 this year hampered education for about three-point-65 million elementary, middle and high school students in North Korea.

The comparable number for South Korea was estimated at seven-point-04 million students, including kindergarteners. 

During the cited period, North Korean schools were under complete closure for 28 days and partial closure for 41 days. South Korean schools were partially or completely closed for 116 days during the period. 

UNICEF said that schools for more than 168 million children globally have been completely closed for almost a full year due to the pandemic.