China allows resumption of flights by North Korean airline

Flight attendants of North Korea's Air Koryo airline

China's Foreign Ministry said on August 21 that the country has approved the resumption of North Korean Air Koryo flights to Beijing.

China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the cancellation of an Air Koryo flight scheduled to depart from Pyongyang to Beijing on August 21, but has not yet provided information on when the flights will resume.

Previously, Air Koryo also scheduled the first flight from the capital Pyongyang to the Russian city of Vladivostok since the Covid-19 pandemic.

This flight is scheduled to take off on August 25, while the next flight is scheduled for August 28.

Since early 2020, North Korea has closed its borders to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

After three years of strict anti-epidemic measures, there are growing signs that North Korea has become more flexible in controlling its borders, experts say.

Last week, North Korea appeared to have allowed a delegation of athletes to travel to a Taekwondo tournament in Kazakhstan.

According to Yonhap news agency, the group of athletes is believed to have crossed the land border into China, traveled to Beijing, and then flown to Central Asia.

Last month, Chinese and Russian officials attended a military parade in the capital Pyongyang, the first foreign dignitaries to visit North Korea in years.

According to Vietnam+