With the continued global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), March saw North Korea continuing to take strict nationwide quarantine measures and border control — although medical aid sent by some organizations were, after delays, allowed to cross the DPRK-China border. 

However, North Korea also appeared to be increasingly confident about its management of the situation, releasing some of its previously-quarantined and isolated citizens and partially relaxing restrictions on foreign diplomats in Pyongyang.

This month also saw a resumption of long-halted ‘letter diplomacy,’ with Kim Jong Un offering condolences regarding the outbreak of COVID-19 to South