First direct flight from Moscow lands in Pyongyang (VIDEOS)
Previously, the only direct air route between Russia and North Korea connected Pyongyang with Vladivostok, a major city in Russia's Far East, and was operated by North Korean state carrier Air Koryo. The reintroduction of regular service between the capitals – interrupted for more than 75 years – signals strengthening relations, officials said.
Russian airline Nordwind received authorization earlier this month to operate the new route, with plans to offer one round-trip flight per month. The inaugural flight, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, carried Russian officials alongside regular passengers.
This flight 'marks a milestone in the modern relationship between our nations,' said Russian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Aleksandr Kozlov, who co-chairs a bilateral intergovernmental commission on cooperation with North Korea.
Kozlov was greeted at Pyongyang International Airport by North Korean Foreign Economic Affairs Minister Yun Jong-ho, his counterpart on the commission. Yun called the new air service a step toward 'the prosperity of the peoples of our two nations.'
Media reports indicated that most passengers aboard the flight were North Korean nationals returning home. One traveler told Ruptly video agency she hoped stronger ties with Russia would help promote tourism in North Korea.
The flight covers a distance of more than 6,400km and takes approximately eight hours. Tickets for the inaugural trip were priced starting at roughly $570.
Last year, Moscow and Pyongyang signed a comprehensive bilateral cooperation agreement, outlining plans to deepen their relationship. The treaty included mutual defense provisions, which provided the legal framework for deployment of North Korean forces to assist Russian troops in repelling a Ukrainian incursion in Russia's Kursk Region.
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