North Korea is set to relax its stringent pandemic border controls, marking a pivotal step towards reuniting citizens who have been separated from their homeland for nearly four years. State media outlet KCNA announced this move, detailing that individuals returning will undergo a week-long quarantine under medical supervision in dedicated facilities.
This decision underscores the nation’s gradual reduction of Covid-19 restrictions. The development closely follows the recent reinstatement of a Pyongyang-Beijing flight route – the first since 2020 – signifying improved connectivity.
China, North Korea’s neighboring nation, reinstated commercial air travel between Beijing and Pyongyang last week. This move positions North Korea among the final few countries to reopen their borders.
In the preceding month, a significant diplomatic moment occurred as Chinese and Russian officials became the first foreign dignitaries to visit North Korea since its borders were sealed. They attended a military parade in Pyongyang. Subsequently, North Korea permitted a delegation of its athletes to participate in a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan.
An Air Koryo plane, North Korea’s flagship carrier, landed in China recently, marking the resumption of commercial flights between the two countries. The return flight to Pyongyang drew attention as North Korean travelers were observed at Beijing International Airport.
Stranded North Korean students, workers, and diplomats who were marooned in China for over three years will now have the opportunity to return home. Nonetheless, the timeline for allowing foreign diplomats and aid workers back into North Korea remains uncertain.
North Korea initially sealed its borders in early 2020 to shield itself from the pandemic’s impact. This, however, led to a severing of trade and diplomatic ties, exacerbating shortages of essential goods like food and medicine.
The easing of pandemic-era restrictions reflects North Korea’s alignment with the global situation. The possibility of the nation gradually reopening its borders to foreign diplomats and aid workers is emerging, though experts predict this process will be meticulously managed and may span several years.
