North Korea has reportedly imported large amounts of masks, medicine and other medical supplies from China since early this year.

Citing first quarter trade data from China's customs agency, Voice of America(VOA) said Wednesday that Pyongyang's purchase of medicine and other medical supplies amounted to eleven-point-28 million dollars in the January to March period, which exceeded 60 percent of last year's total.

Vitamins topped the list, worth one-point-46 million dollars, followed by antibiotics worth 887-thousand-892 dollars. Unspecified vaccines worth 311-thousand dollars were also sent.

Hundreds of millions of masks were also calculated to have entered the regime, VOA said, with their value coming to 183-thousand dollars. 

Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry said North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol met with Russian vice foreign minister Igor Morgulov on Tuesday to discuss cooperative efforts in curbing the virus.

[Photo : ]