On the morning of the 12th, the international train service connecting Beijing, China, and Pyongyang, North Korea, resumed after approximately six years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The train departed from Dandong Station around 10 a.m. local time and crossed the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge over the Yalu River, arriving in Sinuiju, North Korea. According to the timetable released by the China National Railway Group, the train departed Beijing the previous day and is scheduled to operate four times weekly between Beijing and Pyongyang, and daily between Dandong and Pyongyang.

The cross-border travel between China and North Korea had been halted since January 2020 when North Korea closed its borders in response to the pandemic. In September 2022, limited freight train services and some logistics via vehicles and vessels resumed, and by August 2023, passenger flights were reinstated, allowing for some bus travel as well. However, currently, the utilization of the train is expected to be limited primarily to commercial purposes, as China has yet to resume acceptance of Chinese tour groups into North Korea.

The resumption of train services is significant as accepting Chinese tourists is a crucial source of foreign currency for North Korea. The North Korean side is likely preparing for the return of Chinese tourists by steadily enhancing tourist attractions, as they see this as an important economic opportunity. This reopening indicates an increasing attempt to normalize travel ties after years of stringent border controls due to the pandemic.