- Tuesday saw the arrival of North Korea‘s first overseas commercial flight in three years.
- A previously scheduled flight from Air Koryo to Beijing was abruptly canceled on Monday.
- Chinese and Russian officials witnessed a military parade in the country’s capital last month.
Tuesday saw the arrival of North Korea’s first overseas commercial flight in three years, according to an arrivals board that an AFP correspondent saw at the airport.
The board said that Air Koryo aircraft JS151 should have touched down at Beijing Capital Airport at about 9:17 a.m. (0117 GMT). Air Koryo hasn’t run a commercial flight since North Korea shut its borders in response to the Covid-19 epidemic in early 2020.
International commercial flight
According to Flightradar24 and the Chinese monitoring software Umetrip, it took off from the North Korean capital at approximately 8:00 am local time (2330 GMT). An Air Koryo representative who was asked for comment at the company’s Beijing office stated that he had “no information” to provide.
On Monday, Air Koryo abruptly canceled a previously scheduled flight to Beijing without offering an official justification. Since early 2020, when North Korea closed its borders in reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has been largely cut off from the outside world.
However, there are more and more indications Pyongyang may be loosening up on border controls after three years of isolation brought on by Covid.
The first foreign dignitaries to visit North Korea in years, Chinese and Russian officials witnessed a military parade in the country’s capital last month. Additionally, Pyongyang permitted a team of athletes to travel to Kazakhstan last week to compete in taekwondo.
However, there are more and more indications Pyongyang may be loosening up on border controls after three years of isolation brought on by Covid.
The first foreign dignitaries to visit North Korea in years, Chinese and Russian officials witnessed a military parade in the country’s capital last month.
Additionally, Pyongyang permitted a team of athletes to travel to Kazakhstan last week to compete in taekwondo.
