The international passenger train connecting Beijing and Pyongyang is set to resume operation for the first time in six years, marking an uptick in exchanges between North Korea and China.
The long-awaited resumption of the international passenger train service between Pyongyang and Beijing is set to take place starting on the 12th of this month, representing a significant step in reviving relations between North Korea and China after a six-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. The train service, which has operated since 1954, was suspended in January 2020 due to COVID-19, but its restart comes as a response to renewed diplomatic engagements following a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese president Xi Jinping in September 2022. This reopening signals a broader trend of increasing trade and human exchanges between the two countries, reflecting their efforts to recover from a period of strained relations due to geopolitical issues, including the Ukraine war.
