Suspended North Korea-China Freight Train... "According to Bilateral Consultations Considering COVID-19"

The view of the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge (left) and the Yalu River Bridge from Dandong, Liaoning Province, located near the North Korea-China border.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The freight train service connecting Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea, has been suspended due to the spread of COVID-19 in Dandong.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing on the 29th, "Considering the COVID-19 situation in Dandong, China and North Korea have mutually agreed to temporarily suspend freight transport on the Dandong-Sinuiju railway." This marks the first suspension since the service resumed on January 16, after 103 days of operation.

The suspension is reportedly due to North Korea's request to halt operations amid the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Dandong. Sources close to North Korea said, "Following North Korea's request, Dandong authorities decided to suspend the China-North Korea freight train service starting today," adding, "Loading personnel who had been working in a 'closed loop' system isolated from the outside were quarantined in hotels for 14 days."

Earlier, on the 25th, Dandong city imposed a full lockdown after reporting 60 new COVID-19 cases. However, the China-North Korea freight trains operated normally for four days until the 28th. This was reportedly due to an agreement between China and North Korea to transport cargo already stored in warehouses.

Since the China-North Korea freight train service resumed on January 16 after about a year and a half, exchanges between the two countries have reportedly revived. In the first quarter of this year, China-North Korea trade volume reached $196.89 million (approximately 249.3 billion KRW), a tenfold increase compared to the same period last year. Of this, North Korea's imports from China accounted for $173.36 million (219.5 billion KRW), making up the majority. Exports to China amounted to only $23.53 million (29.8 billion KRW).

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