Reports of North Korean citizens going maskless in large groups indicate the country has rolled back its intense COVID-19 restrictions.
South Korean analysts are speculating that the hermit nation has ended its blanket mask requirements as of the beginning of July.
“Photos carried by the Rodong Sinmun show that the wearing of face masks has notably declined since July 3. They are only worn in extremely rare cases,” a spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry told the press.