China has reinstated direct passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang, marking the first such service in six years and signalling a gradual reopening of North Korea after long pandemic-induced isolation. The fresh connectivity, operated by Air China, comes shortly after passenger train services between the two capitals were restored earlier this month.
According to Chinese state media, the Air China flight received a warm welcome on arrival with Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun and other diplomats present at the airport. Passenger train services, which resumed on March 12, are also expected to boost cross-border movement that had remained suspended since early 2020 when North Korea sealed its borders amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
North Korea eases pandemic restrictions
North Korean carrier Air Koryo had restarted limited flights in 2023, and Pyongyang has slowly begun reopening to foreign visitors. A Russian tour group entered the country in 2024, marking one of the first organised tourist arrivals since the pandemic closure. Before the ban, Chinese tour groups accounted for nearly 90 per cent of all foreign tourists in North Korea and the extended delay in allowing them back had surprised many observers.
Beijing-Pyongyang dynamics
Despite being Pyongyang's most critical economic partner and political ally, China has periodically expressed concerns about North Korea's missile launches, especially those with potential reach toward South Korea and the United States. Even so, high-level engagements continue, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending a major military parade in Beijing in September, the first appearance by a North Korean leader at a Chinese military parade in decades.
China-North Korea relations
China and North Korea have entered a phase of renewed engagement, marked by the restoration of direct flights and passenger train services after years of pandemic-related isolation. Beijing remains Pyongyang's most significant economic partner, even as it continues to voice concern over North Korea's missile activities. High-level interactions, including Kim Jong Un's recent visit to Beijing for a major military parade, reflect a strengthening political alignment.
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