The North Korean city of Hyesan, which has a population of more than 2,00,000 has reportedly been placed under indefinite lockdown by leader Kim Jong Un, after a soldier lost 653 bullets.

According to reports, the city has been placed under lockdown until all 653 bullets are found. Radio Free Asia reported that the bullets went missing during a military withdrawal after which Kim Jong Un ordered search operations to be carried out in the entire city to retrieve the lost bullets.

The report quoted a source, who is a resident of Ryanggang, where Hyesan city is located, as saying, “The city… will remain on lockdown until all 653 bullets are found.”

The report mentioned that the assault rifle ammunition had gone missing on March 7. It further quoted sources as saying, “They withdrew completely between February 25 and March 10, but an extensive investigation is underway because of a loss of bullets during the evacuation process.”

“During the withdrawal, when the soldiers realized they had lost the bullets, they tried to find it themselves instead of reporting it,” the source was further quoted as saying.

However, the soldiers soon realized that they could not locate the bullets themselves and that is when they informed the authorities about the same owing to which the city was put into a lockdown, added the report.

“Last week, orders were issued to factories, farms, social groups and neighbourhood watch units in the province to actively cooperate with the ammunition-related investigation,” mentioned the report, adding that the authorities were lying in order to prevent spread of fear among residents”.

The report further added that authorities tried to put pressure on the residents. “They tried to put pressure on the residents by bluffing that the withdrawal was a manoeuvre related to the safety of Kim Jong Un from reactionary forces,” it added.