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Russia and North Korea Plan to Reopen Skies After 30 Years, Deepening Strategic Alliance
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia and North Korea are preparing to resume direct air travel for the first time in more than three decades, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announced on June 17.
According to Russian media Interfax, the development is part of broader efforts to strengthen trade and security cooperation between the two countries.
“I hope the first plane will depart soon. These flights haven’t operated for more than 30 years,” Shoigu told journalists in Moscow. He added that trade and economic ties between Russia and North Korea “are developing.”
In parallel, railway connections have already been restored. On June 13, Russia’s Ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, accompanied the departure of the first non-stop passenger rail car from Pyongyang to Moscow.
The ceremony at Pyongyang Central Station included North Korean Foreign Ministry officials and representatives of Russian Railways.
Logistics cooperation is also resuming. Russian Post confirmed on June 17 that it has restarted parcel delivery to North Korea after a four-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trial shipments were completed in May, and the service is now open to both individuals and businesses.
Parcels of up to 20 kilograms will be transported from Moscow to Vladivostok and then flown to Pyongyang by a North Korean airline. The estimated delivery time is 15 calendar days.
“North Korea is an important strategic partner for Russia and a promising area for business,” said Russian Post CEO Mikhail Volkov.
Additionally, Shoigu stated that Russia and North Korea will build memorials honoring North Korean soldiers who, according to Russian officials, participated in the liberation of the Kursk region. The project includes plans for a memorial complex and museum in Pyongyang developed with Russian support.
Earlier, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his country’s support for Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine, during a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang.
Kim stated that North Korea “will continue to support Russia in its war against Ukraine,” and that Pyongyang will stand by Moscow on a range of other issues outlined in the strategic agreement between the two authoritarian regimes.
