Departed from Sheremetyevo Airport... Arrived in Pyongyang after about 8 hours of flight
"A historic event that strengthens the bonds between the two countries"
The first direct passenger flight connecting Moscow, the capital of Russia, and Pyongyang, North Korea, has landed in Pyongyang.
According to Yonhap News on July 28, citing Russia's TASS news agency, "At 7:25 p.m. Moscow time the previous day, an aircraft carrying 440 passengers took off from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport and arrived in Pyongyang after about eight hours of flight."
The first direct passenger flight from Moscow, the capital of Russia, to Pyongyang has arrived in Pyongyang. Photo by TASS Yonhap News
According to Yonhap News, when the Russian delegation led by Alexander Kozlov, Russia's Minister of Natural Resources, disembarked from a Nordwind Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, the North Korean side welcomed them with bouquets of flowers.
Vladimir Poteshkin, Russia's Minister of Transport, stated via Telegram, "For the first time in over 70 years of diplomatic relations, a direct flight has been operated between the capitals of our countries."
A Nordwind Airlines staff member told AFP in an interview, "This is a historic event that strengthens the bonds between the two countries." Nordwind Airlines set the ticket price for this flight at 45,000 rubles (780,000 won).
The first direct passenger flight from Moscow, the capital of Russia, to Pyongyang has arrived in Pyongyang. Photo by TASS Yonhap News
TASS reported that the return flight to Moscow is scheduled to operate on July 29. Previously, last month, Nordwind Airlines requested approval from the Russian aviation authority for a twice-weekly direct Moscow-Pyongyang route, and the Russian aviation authority granted approval on July 9.
The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that, for now, flights between Moscow and Pyongyang will operate once a month. This is intended to create stable demand. The operation of direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang is seen as a sign of closer ties between Russia and North Korea.
Until now, the only direct flight connecting Russia and North Korea was a route operated by North Korea's Air Koryo, flying three times a week between Vladivostok in Primorsky Krai and Pyongyang.
According to RIA Novosti, North Korean Cabinet Premier Pak Taesong met with Minister Kozlov and stated, "Following the summit and treaty signing between Chairman Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, relations between North Korea and Russia have improved to an unprecedented degree and have developed into an 'unbreakable blood alliance.'"
TASS reported that Minister Kozlov brought sculptures made of silver and agate minerals, as well as personal documents, to deliver to Chairman Kim.
During talks with Yoon Jungho, North Korea's Minister of External Economic Relations and the North Korean co-chairman of the Russia-North Korea Cooperation Committee, Minister Kozlov, the Russian co-chairman, announced that Russia would present a lion cub to the Pyongyang Zoo. Minister Kozlov explained, "The lion cub is a gift from the intergovernmental committee of Russia and North Korea to commemorate the important event of constructing the Tumen River automobile bridge connecting Russia and North Korea." According to TASS, citing the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, the lion cub arrived in North Korea on the first direct Moscow-Pyongyang flight.
After signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty last year, Russia and North Korea have also been strengthening cooperation in the transportation sector. On April 30, they began construction of the Tumen River automobile bridge. Last month, they resumed direct train services between Moscow and Pyongyang and between Khabarovsk and Pyongyang, which had been suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19.
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