First Direct Flight Between Moscow and Pyongyang Takes Off on the 27th
For Now, Operates Once a Month... Strengthening Russia-North Korea Relations
Direct Route to North Korean Resort Wonsan Kalma Also Under Consideration
The first direct passenger flight connecting Moscow, Russia, and Pyongyang, North Korea, operated on the evening of the 27th (local time). According to Yonhap News, citing AFP and other sources, "The first direct flight to Pyongyang by Russian airline Nordwind departed from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport at 7:25 p.m. that day." The flight carried around 400 passengers, and the flight time was eight hours. The ticket price was set at 45,000 rubles (approximately 780,000 won).
On the 27th (local time), passengers gathered at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow to check in for the first flight connecting Moscow and Pyongyang. Photo by AP Yonhap News
According to Yonhap News, the direct flight is operated with a Boeing 777-200ER, and the first tickets sold out quickly. Russian Transport Minister Vladimir Poteshkin stated via Telegram, "For the first time in over 70 years of North Korea-Russia diplomatic relations, a direct flight between the capitals of the two countries is now operating." Nordwind Airlines told AFP, "This is a historic event that strengthens the bonds between the two countries." The return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow is scheduled for the 29th.
Previously, last month, Nordwind Airlines requested approval from the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency for a twice-weekly direct route between Moscow and Pyongyang, and the agency granted approval on the 9th. The Russian Ministry of Transport stated, "For now, flights between Moscow and Pyongyang will operate once a month," explaining this is "to generate stable demand."
Until now, the only direct flights between Russia and North Korea operated between Vladivostok in Primorsky Krai and Pyongyang. With the launch of regular flights connecting the capitals of both countries, exchanges between Russia and North Korea are expected to become more active.
The operation of direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang is interpreted as a sign of deepening ties between Russia and North Korea. Since the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty last year, they have also strengthened cooperation in the transportation sector. In April, construction began on the Tumen River automobile bridge connecting Russia and North Korea by land, and last month, direct train services between Moscow and Pyongyang and Khabarovsk and Pyongyang, which had been suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19, were resumed.
On the 16th, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at plans to build a road connecting China and North Korea during a video address at the opening ceremony for the eastern section of the M-12 expressway linking Moscow and Kazan. President Putin stated, "We will continue to actively develop the eastern route," and emphasized that "the expressway must be connected to the modernized main road networks of Tyumen in western Russia, Siberia, and the Far East." He also added, "Of course, we will consider building connecting roads to the borders with Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and North Korea."
Russia is also considering opening a direct passenger flight route to Wonsan, North Korea. At the end of last month, North Korea opened the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone on the east coast and is working to attract tourists. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a local media interview on the 16th, "(The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone) is not just a tourist area consisting of a single hotel and its surroundings, but rather a city made up of hotels," and praised it as a "fantastic resort."
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