North Korea Signals Increased International Access as Beijing-Pyongyang Air Links Resume Post-Pandemic

Kathmandu. With the resumption of the long-suspended Beijing-Pyongyang air link following the pandemic, signs indicate that North Korea is beginning to expand its international access. Following Air China's restart of direct flights on Monday, analysis suggests that North Korea, which had previously only permitted passengers on special missions, is now gradually moving towards limited openness.

Although general tourists are not yet fully permitted, it is believed that travel has been opened for students, workers, and individuals with cross-border family ties. Before the pandemic in 2019, approximately 300,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea, about 90% of whom were Chinese. An estimated 5,000 tourists annually visited from Western countries.

However, the arrest and subsequent death of American student Otto Warmbier in 2017 led to stricter travel policies from Western nations. Subsequently, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a complete border closure.

In recent years, the doors have slowly begun to open. In 2024, North Korea allowed entry to Russian tourists, and in 2025, some Western tour operators also returned for limited excursions. However, these visits were extremely controlled, with tourist activities strictly regulated.

Expanding transport links with China has become a key part of this process. Air Koryo resumed Beijing-Pyongyang flights back in 2023, and the rail service was also recently reinstated. Now, Chinese travel agencies have begun promoting tour packages again, signaling a potential increase in tourist arrivals in the future.

The relationship between China and North Korea is the main foundation for this openness. For decades, China has remained North Korea's primary trading partner and its economic and diplomatic lifeline. Dependence on China is high, ranging from food and energy to commercial goods. Bilateral trade is reported to have returned to around $3 billion after the pandemic.

Nevertheless, the relationship between the two has not always been smooth. North Korea's nuclear weapons program has often been a sensitive issue for China. However, in recent years, the changing global politics—especially the war in Ukraine and the potential resurgence of Donald Trump—seem to have elevated Kim Jong Un's international standing.

Kim appearing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing last year is seen as an indication of this. Analysts suggest that tensions in the Middle East have also made Pyongyang-Beijing cooperation more necessary.

The relationship with Russia has also strengthened in parallel. North Korea is reported to have sent thousands of troops and weapons in support of the war in Ukraine, in return for which it is receiving energy, food, and military technology. Putin's visit to Pyongyang in 2024 further solidified this relationship.

Interestingly, the reopening of transport links began first with Russia, signaling that Pyongyang is making decisions based on its own strategic priorities. This also shows an attempt to seek an independent diplomatic balance while reducing complete dependence on China.

Attention is now focused on the next significant development. If China can include Kim during a potential visit by Trump to Beijing, it is analyzed that China will gain an opportunity to demonstrate its influence over North Korea.

According to experts, China appears to be adopting a strategy of ensuring regime stability rather than pushing North Korea toward complete denuclearization. By reopening physical links such as air and rail, Beijing is sending a message that it accepts a nuclear-armed North Korea as a permanent geopolitical reality.