An Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang landed in Beijing early on Tuesday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began in 2020, as North Korea cracks open its border to some passenger travel.
The flight, JS151, arrived at 9:17 a.m. , shortly ahead of its scheduled time. It wasn't immediately clear who was aboard, but Western tour companies that operated in North Korea said it appeared to be a special flight that would on the return carry back North Koreans who had been trapped in China by the years of border closures.
In a first since before the pandemic, Chinese and Russian government delegations flew to Pyongyang last month and last week buses carrying North Korean athletes to a taekwondo tournament in Kazakhstan crossed the border into China. "This flight isn’t a full resumption of the route yet, it is a special flight for Koreans only to take people home again after years being stuck overseas," said Simon Cockerell, general manager at Beijing-based Koryo Tours. "The same as the flights that seem likely to happen soon from Vladivostok."border fences
It is unclear how many from the North Korean community - mostly students and people who work in restaurants and government-related jobs in areas such as tourism and cultural promotion - still remain in China. One diplomat for a Western country that pulled its staff from its embassy in Pyongyang said there was no official word from North Korean officials on when they could return.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
North Korea's Kim inspects cruise missile test as South Korea-US military drills beginNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a test of strategic cruise missiles, state media KCNA said on Monday, as South Korea and the United States kicked off annual military drills which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal of war.
Read more »
North Korea’s Kim directs cruise missile test as South Korea-US drills beginNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of strategic cruise missiles, state media KCNA said on Monday, as South Korea and the United States kicked off annual military drills that Pyongyang s…
Read more »
N Korea's Kim observes launch of cruise missile as US, S Korea begin drillsIt comes three days after the US, S Korea and Japan held their first trilateral summit and agreed to increase their cooperation on their ballistic missile defences to counter N Korea’s nuclear threats.
Read more »
Defiant N Korea test-fires missiles as US, S Korea launch military drillsThe drills come three days after the US, S Korea and Japan held their first trilateral summit and agreed to increase cooperation on their ballistic missile defences to counter N Korea’s nuclear threats.
Read more »
North Korea's Kim watches cruise missile launches as US, South Korean troops begin annual drillsNorth Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has observed the test-firing of its strategic cruise missiles
Read more »
North Korea's Kim watches cruise missile launches as US, South Korean troops begin annual drillsNorth Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has observed the test-firing of its strategic cruise missiles. The North's report on the weapons tests comes as the U.S. and South Korean militaries kicked off major annual drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.
Read more »