China Restarts Direct Flights to North Korea’s Capital
China’s national airline, Air China, has resumed direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital. This comes shortly after the two countries restored passenger train services connecting their capitals.
The first flight was warmly welcomed by the Chinese ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, along with other diplomats, as reported by Chinese state media. The train service had already restarted on March 12.
Both flights and trains to North Korea had been paused since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. North Korea’s own airline, Air Koryo, also began operating flights between the two capitals earlier this year.
During the pandemic, North Korea imposed a ban on foreign tourists. However, they are gradually easing some restrictions, as demonstrated by a Russian tour group visiting the country in 2024. Before the ban, Chinese tourists represented a significant 90% of all visitors to North Korea, making the continued delay in resuming Chinese tours notable for many observers.
China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key ally, though it has expressed concerns over North Korea’s missile tests aimed at regions like South Korea and the United States. Recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a visit to Beijing for a large military parade, marking a historic moment as it was the first time in decades that a North Korean leader attended such an event in China.
