Railway traffic between North Korea and Primorye resumes after two years

VLADIVOSTOK. Nov 2 (Interfax) - The first freight train has passed the border crossing of Khasan, Russia to Tumangang, North Korea, following a two-year hiatus owing to Covid restrictions, the press service of Far East Railways said on Wednesday.

"The first train of three special railway cars has shipped 30 pedigreed horse to the North Korea. The next shipment is scheduled to supply medicines in containers," according to the press service.

The only railway border crossing between North Korea and Russia, Khasan-Tumangang, opened in 2013 for exporting goods to the port of Rajin. Over 50,000 tonnes of cargo was exported via the checkpoint prior to the quarantine in 2019.

The Primorye authorities previously reported that North Korea was ready to resume cargo traffic with Russia in September.

The Primorye Territory is the only Russian region that borders North Korea. Railway service through the Khasan-Tumangang border crossing stopped owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.