Kim Jong Un has fled the North Korean capital for the coast in a bid to escape coronavirus, an insider has claimed.

A source in South Korea said the Supreme Leader fled Pyongyang for Wonsan on the nation's east coast amid growing fears over the virus.

'Intelligence analysis suggests that Kim Jong-un has been away from Pyongyang for a considerable time,' the source told Chosun Ilbo. 'This appears to be connected with the coronavirus outbreak.'

It comes amid reports that roughly 180 soldiers have died after contracting COVID-19 in the secretive state.

A source in the North's military leaked the apparent death toll to South Korea's Daily NK newspaper and claimed most of the deaths had occurred close to the border with China.

A further 3,700 soldiers were under quarantine after testing positive for the virus, it was added.