To Prevent the Spread of Novel Coronavirus... Temporary Suspension of North Korea-Russia Passenger Train Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 3rd (local time), TASS reported that North Korea and Russia will temporarily suspend passenger train operations to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

According to the report, Russian Railways (RZD) announced that "at the request of the North Korean Ministry of Railways dated February 1, passenger train operations and direct train services between Hasan (Russian border station) and Tuman River (North Korean border station) will be temporarily suspended from the 3rd until further notice." RZD had previously announced that passenger train operations with China would also be suspended from the 3rd.

The suspension of passenger train operations between Russia and North Korea follows the suspension of flights between the two countries. The Russian Embassy in North Korea had earlier stated on its official Facebook account on the 1st that the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs had notified additional measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and that "flights on the Pyongyang and Vladivostok (Russian Far East) route will be temporarily suspended."

With both flights and railways blocked, transportation between Russia and North Korea has been virtually completely cut off. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin previously signed a prime ministerial decree to close the borders of Russia's Far East region, which borders China and North Korea.

Meanwhile, according to the National Health Commission of China (NHC), as of 0:00 on the day, the total number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus across China was counted at 17,205, with a cumulative death toll of 361.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.