Seoul, Mar 26 (IANS): Officials of two key departments at North Korea's ruling Workers' Party visited a western military unit to congratulate soldiers after they won a recent artillery fire competition overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported on Thursday.

The rarw group visit to the artillery battalion of the 3rd Corps of the Korean People's Army was seen as unusual as it came amid intensified efforts to prevent the coronavirus pandemic in the country since the North declared a national emergency system in late January, reports the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency.

"On March 24, officials of the Organizational Leadership Department and the Information and Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) paid a congratulatory visit to the artillery battalion," Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report.

The officials "warmly congratulated the service personnel who were honored with the battalion of master gunners under the blessings of the illustrious commander of Mt Paektu" ,the report said, referring to the country's sacred Mount Paekdu.

The KCNA said the unit was given a certificate bearing the congratulatory autograph of leader Kim, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"The officials of the Party Central Committee read the officers and soldiers the encouraging letters and listened to the merits the artillerymen performed in the service days, deepening the blood feelings," it added.

The North has not reported any confirmed coronavirus infections.