The North Korean regime vowed to increase its epidemic prevention and national defense capability budget, despite “complicated problems” caused by what it called “hostile forces’ persistent sanctions” and the coronavirus pandemic, state media said on Tuesday. The state budget was presented at a two-day meeting of the regime’s top political body, which began on Sunday, according to state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korean head of the communist regime Kim Jong-un was not present at the meeting. According to the regime’s mouthpiece, the rubber-stamp legislature passed plans to increase the budget for emergency epidemic prevention by 33.3 percent compared to last year. Kim Tok Hun, North Korea’s premier—who is in charge of the economy—said in the meeting that emergency epidemic prevention would be given top priority. North Korea has closed its borders and imposed severe travel bans despite the regime not confirming any COVID-19 cases. The head of …