Kim Jong-un has banned all weddings and funerals in North Korea as he prepares to be crowned as the country's supreme leader at a rare ruling party congress.
The 33-year-old is expected to cement his leadership and formally declare the nation a nuclear-armed state at the first congress in a staggering 36 years.
Ahead of the meeting next week, North Korea has tightened security, with its capital, Pyongyang, placed on lockdown to avoid any 'mishap' at the event.
Weddings and funeral services have also been cancelled this week for security reasons, according to the Sunday Times.
North Korea has in the past taken such steps ahead of major events and has at times also shut down its border with China for the same reason.
