A file photo taken on November 21, 2017 shows children walking on a frozen river near Raksan on North Korea's northeast coast. AFP PHOTO
SEOUL: Behind its self-imposed coronavirus barricade, North Korea is more isolated than ever and authorities are reinforcing loyalty to the regime in the face of desperate times, analysts say.
The impoverished country - which is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs - has long struggled to feed itself, suffering chronic food shortages.