On 8–9 May 2025, a core team from the Ministry of Public Health of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) participated in a two-day virtual workshop. The workshop, which included a mini-simulation exercise, was organized by the World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) in collaboration with the Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) Secretariat at WHO headquarters and the WHO Country Office for the DPRK.
Adapted from WHO’s Exercise panPRET-1, the simulation focused on a fictional influenza outbreak to test national systems for surveillance, risk assessment and response coordination. The exercise highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement in DPRK’s preparedness planning.
Key outcomes of this exercise included:
- a trained cadre of national facilitators ready to lead future simulation exercises; and
- a roadmap for revising the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan (NIPPP) to include respiratory pathogens.
Building on the experience from an in-person regional simulation exercise held in 2024, this event highlighted the value of knowledge sharing and developing practical skills through virtual engagement to build a sustainable, country-led response.
The existing NIPPP was updated in 2019, with the inputs from in-country workshop supported by experts from all levels of WHO. Looking ahead, DPRK plans to conduct a national multisectoral workshop and simulation exercise later in 2025, led by newly trained facilitators. These efforts will directly support the ongoing revision of the current NIPPP into a broader PRET-based plan and contribute to strengthening national health security.