China's flag carrier, Air China, resumed direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang on Monday, marking the first such service since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. The flight was welcomed by the Chinese ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, and other diplomats, according to Chinese state media.
The resumption of air travel follows the restoration of passenger train services between the two capitals on 12 March. North Korean carrier Air Koryo had already resumed flights on the route in 2023.
North Korea banned all foreign tourists during the pandemic but has gradually eased restrictions, with a Russian tour group entering the country earlier in 2024. Prior to the ban, Chinese tour groups accounted for 90 per cent of all visitors to North Korea, making the delay in resuming Chinese tours a surprise to observers.
China remains North Korea's largest trading partner and a key ally, though Beijing has expressed disapproval over Pyongyang's missile tests, which could target South Korea and the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Beijing in September for a military parade, the first such attendance by a North Korean leader in decades.
