North Korea reopens borders for its nationals after closure by Covid

North Korea took a further step towards lifting his strict isolation by the covid-19by allowing its nationals abroad to return to the country, the state press reported on Sunday.

The state agency KCNA published that the State Emergency Prevention Headquarters determined that “citizens abroad have been allowed to return home.”

“Those who return will be under due medical observation in quarantine sites for a week,” he added.

He specified that the decision was made “in relation to the global relief of the pandemic situation.”

North Korea closed its borders in early 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, preventing even its own citizens from entering.

The changes indicate that North Korea will modify its strict anti-Covid policy to gradually lift quarantine measures, Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute, told AFP.

“With the latest announcement, a large-scale return of North Koreans by land is expected,” he added.

Pyongyang had gradually begun to show signs of lifting sanitary restrictions.

– First openings –

Chinese and Russian officials participated in a military parade in Pyongyang in July, making them the first foreign dignitaries to visit the country in years.

Last week, a delegation of North Korean athletes attended a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan, while the state airline Air Koryo made its first international commercial flight in three years.

The flight arrived at the Beijing airport Tuesday morning, and AFP journalists observed two North Koreans, recognizable by wearing badges bearing the faces of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, passing through the arrivals gate.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it had authorized the resumption of commercial flights between Beijing and Pyongyang.

“During the summer and autumn travel season… the Chinese side has approved plans for passenger flights such as Air Koryo’s Pyongyang-Beijing and Beijing-Pyongyang routes,” the Chinese ministry said on Monday.

However, analysts clarify that the North Korean regime is not yet ready to fully open its borders.

“First, North Koreans have not been vaccinated,” said Cho Hanbum, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

He added that Pyongyang could be frightened by the “collapse” of the Chinese medical system after its sudden decision in December to end its zero-COVID policy, which it had maintained for three years.

China recorded a massive spike in hospitalizations and deaths that some experts say would have left as many as 2 million dead in the weeks after the uprising.

The North Korean health system is one of the most deficient in the world and lacks anti-Covid vaccines, antiviral treatments or the capacity to carry out mass tests.

(Source: AFP)