Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Tuesday said some senior officials' "dereliction of duty" in implementing measures required by the global pandemic has created "a great crisis" in ensuring the safety of the country and the people, state media KCNA reported.

Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), made the remarks while presiding over an enlarged politburo meeting of the party.

KCNA did not specify details of the "crisis."

"Senior officials in charge of important state affairs neglected the implementation of the important decisions of the party on taking organizational, institutional, material, scientific and technological measures associated with the worldwide health crisis, and thus caused a crucial case of creating a great crisis in ensuring the security of the state and safety of the people and entailed grave consequences," Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA.

Using "strong terms," Kim pointed to the "lack of ability and irresponsibility of cadres" as the major factor hindering the implementation of important tasks decided at the party congress and plenary meetings, KCNA reported.

He also called for a party-wide campaign against the "ideological faults" and "negative elements" being exposed in the officials.

At the third Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the WPK on June 15, the DPRK said that it has not detected a single case of COVID-19 nationwide as it closed its borders in January last year.