There hasn’t been a scheduled commercial flight in or out of North Korea since the start of the pandemic over three years ago. The first one was supposed to occur today, but two hours after the flight from Pyongyang to Beijing was supposed to land it was announced in Beijing as having cancelled.
Meanwhile there are two roundtrips currently scheduled between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, Russia, on August 23 and 28. This was a route that the airline served before North Korea shut itself off to the world (even more than before). The airline has been pricing flights on this route at $230 one way.
Air Koryo Tupolev TU-204 Approaching Beijing, copyright boarding1now / 123RF Stock Photo
Beijing – Pyongyang is only a 487 mile flight. and Pyongyang’s airport is absolute perfection, built in harmony with modern aesthetic taste and national character. Ironically the national airline of the socialist paradise offers business class on some of its aircraft.
Last month, both Chinese and Russian officials visited the Hermit Kingdom. But has it really been over five years since the U.S. – North Korea summit in Singapore, when Kim Jong Un was ferried there on an Air China Boeing 747 rather than his own Soviet-era Ilyushin Il-62, perhaps worried that maintenance issues and lack of parts would embarrassingly ground his return?
(HT: Enilra)
“Beijing – Pyongyang is only a 487 mile flight. and Pyongyang’s airport is absolute perfection, built in harmony with modern aesthetic taste and national character. Ironically the national airline of the socialist paradise offers business class on some of its aircraft.”
I see what you did there…bravo!
What happened to the JS flights to Japan? I dstinctly remember seeing the Air Koryo tails in Narita more than once
While I’d love to take the USO tour that goes to the conference room in the DMZ, the DPRK (North) must be a weird place. Some years ago I picked up on my shortwave radio “Songs of the People As They Build Dams”. I sent in a reception report and got back (via Germany) a box with a banner, post cards, turgid Kim speeches and a book about how wonderful life was in that paradise. (“The stars shine brighter over us” was one line.) It is strange how dividing one people in 1945 has led to two such utterly different countries. One is rich, reasonably democratic, plugged into the human race and it works. The other…as my wife says, “There is the world and then there is North Korea.” That doesn’t say much for how easily humans can be led.
Ive been to the dmz from both south korean and north korean sides and the north korean tour is way more light and relaxed. In south korea, they insist on you wearing formal clothes (business casual) and are very serious, somber and guarded. In north korea the guards laugh, watch cartoons (winnie-the-pooh!), smoke and couldnt care less about the tourists.
@profan “In north korea the guards laugh, watch cartoons (winnie-the-pooh!), smoke and couldnt care less about the tourists.”
you sure that wasn’t a Xi speech on the TV?
North Korea National Airline flies to Russia, Iran and China. By early 2024, they hope to have a.new route to Hell if only BA would give up some routes and gate space
@Tony i’ll post a link to my pictures i guess https://3orin.com/dprk17.html
@profan I’ve also been to both sides and had the same experience. It actually makes sense though if you think about it, there’s a real threat of an invasion or attack from the North so the South Korean border forces need to be on full alert. Zero chance that South Korea would ever launch a preemptive invasion of the North, so the DPRK soldiers can and do treat it like a joke.