North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made his first public appearance in 25 days as he presided over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party on Sunday. 

According to the North's state Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Monday, Kim chaired the enlarged politburo meeting the previous day and discussed COVID-19 and the state anti-epidemic situation. 

Kim reportedly stressed the need to keep a high alert and ordered a tightening of state emergency anti-coronavirus systems in the face of the pandemic. 

It marks Kim's first reported public appearance since October 21, when he visited a cemetery in the North's South Pyongan Province for fallen Chinese soldiers that participated in the Korean War.

The KCNA said the meeting also discussed "non-socialist practices in educational organizations and in society." In particular, it sharply criticized the party committee of the Pyongyang University of Medicine for committing a serious crime and accused other related organizations of dereliction of duty.

[Photo : YONHAP News]