North Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, was scheduled to make its first commercial flight in over three years on Monday. Journalists and onlookers gathered at Beijing’s Capital International Airport to witness the arrival of flight JS151 from Pyongyang. However, almost two hours after its scheduled arrival, the flight was abruptly cancelled with no given reason. This was met with disappointment from media representatives who were eager to witness some of the first international travelers to and from North Korea in years. Beijing airport customer service confirmed that Air Koryo did not provide any explanation for the cancellation.
China’s foreign ministry, when asked about the cancellation, only stated that it had approved the restarting of commercial flights between Beijing and Pyongyang. The ministry’s spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, mentioned that flight plans for routes such as Pyongyang-Beijing and Beijing-Pyongyang had been approved for the summer and autumn flight season. However, Air Koryo’s Beijing office remained unresponsive, with employees claiming lack of knowledge about the cancellation and directing reporters to seek information from the North Korean ruling party newspaper.
After experiencing three years of isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been signs that North Korea may be easing its border controls. Chinese and Russian officials recently attended a military parade in Pyongyang, marking the first time foreign dignitaries had visited the country in years. Additionally, a delegation of athletes from North Korea was allowed to attend a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, reports emerged indicating that a group of people, believed to be North Korean athletes, crossed the land border into China before traveling to Beijing and flying to Central Asia. Monday was expected to mark Air Koryo’s first commercial flight in over three years.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which oversees relations with North Korea, expressed ignorance regarding the flight cancellation. The ministry stated that there was no information available on the matter. While signs of North Korea’s reopening of its borders have been noted, it is challenging to determine whether this signifies a complete and unrestricted border opening or a limited and controlled one.
Reports from specialist website NK News suggest that Air Koryo intends to operate two flights from Vladivostok, Russia, to Pyongyang on Friday and the following Monday.
