North Korea and China will restart passenger train services this week after a six-year pandemic hiatus, restoring a vital transport link for the isolated state.

SEOUL: Passenger train services between North Korea and China are set to resume this week, ending a six-year suspension imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry confirmed the resumption on Tuesday. The move restores a critical transport link between Pyongyang and its primary economic ally, Beijing.

China’s state railway informed the Yonhap News Agency that the Pyongyang-Beijing train will begin round-trip service on March 12. It will operate four times per week.

Initially, only the last two carriages will carry passengers, primarily diplomats or individuals on official business. A railway official told Yonhap that ticket sales to the general public may occur if seats are available.

North Korea remains largely closed to foreign tourism, with limited exceptions. These exceptions are mainly for Russian tour groups operating under restricted arrangements, according to travel agencies.

Before the pandemic, Chinese visitors constituted the largest share of foreign tourists to North Korea. The country’s border has been strictly closed since early 2020.

In a separate development, tour organisers said North Korea cancelled next month’s Pyongyang Marathon on Monday. The race is one of the few events that has been open to international participants in the isolated state.

No reason was given for the marathon’s cancellation.

 The Sun Malaysia