Will the North Korea-China Border Open... North Korean Train Arrives in Dandong After a Year and a Half

First North Korean Freight Train Enters China Since COVID-19 Outbreak
Likely for Urgent Lunar New Year Supplies... Uncertain if Border Will Remain Open

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] A North Korean freight train entered China on the 16th. When COVID-19 broke out in 2020, North Korea closed the North Korea-China border by itself. It has been about one year and six months since a North Korean freight train crossed the border.

According to multiple sources familiar with North Korea, the North Korean freight train that departed from Sinuiju, a border area between North Korea and China, arrived in Dandong, Liaoning Province, China, on the morning of the same day.

According to the sources, the train crossed into Dandong via the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, the railway connecting North Korea and China, at around 9:10 a.m. from Sinuiju.

The sources said, "At around 9 a.m., the North Korean freight train crossed the Yalu River railway bridge from Sinuiju and arrived in Dandong," adding, "It has not been confirmed whether it came loaded with cargo or empty." They further noted, "The freight train is expected to load supplies and return to North Korea tomorrow."

Inside China, it is presumed that North Korea sent the freight train to import urgent daily necessities ahead of Seollal (Lunar New Year). It is not yet known whether the North Korean train's entry into China will continue.

North Korea has been seeking to resume land trade via rail after the COVID-19 situation in Northeast China eased last year. However, the plan was scrapped when COVID-19 resurged in Northeast China in November last year.

A source in Beijing said, "This officially means that material exchanges between North Korea and China have begun," emphasizing the possibility that this train operation could lead to a gradual reopening of the border.

Another source stressed, "Since North Korea has at least reopened the railway, attention is focused on whether this will lead to measures such as accepting U.S.-made vaccines in the future."

Residents in the Dandong area also posted on social networking services (SNS) that they witnessed the North Korean freight train. On the Chinese video platform TikTok, a one-minute video showing the North Korean freight train crossing the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge was uploaded. The video shows a train with more than 15 North Korean freight cars crossing the bridge.

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