Health workers disinfect a public building in North Korea's northeastern city of Tanchon in South Hamgyong Province, Dec. 5. Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

North Korea publicly executed a smuggler for violating the COVID-19 quarantine measures, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA).

This can be interpreted as an indication that the reclusive regime, despite repeated claims it has zero COVID-19 infections, is concerned about the spread of the deadly virus.

The Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party elevated the emergency quarantine measures to "ultra-high-level emergency quarantine measures," the RFA said last week, citing a source in the North.

The committee also imposed a series of ever harsher measures recently, with fear that frequent border crossers could bring the virus back with them from China.

Still, the smugglers continued bringing Chinese goods into North Korea.

"There's been a lot of contact with people on the other side of the border, including a lot of smuggling," the source said.

A firing squad reportedly executed a smuggler in his 50s in front of local residents in a border area.

"The public execution happened because the victim was charged with violating quarantine right before the ultra-high-level emergency measures took effect around Nov. 20," the source said.

It also said a currency exchange broker in the border area was also executed in public for violating quarantine measures.

"This reign of terror for the people has reached its peak since the Central Committee issued the ultra-high-level emergency quarantine order," it added.