From the DW:
“North Korea reopens borders to citizens living abroad”
North Korea has moved to further open up from strict COVID-19
pandemic-era isolation, allowing the return of its citizens who were stranded
abroad, state media KCNA reported Sunday. The move marks a significant shift
after years of stringent border controls imposed during the global health
crisis. According to a statement released by the State Emergency Epidemic
Prevention Headquarters and reported by KCNA, this decision aligns with the
country's revised approach to managing the epidemic, prompted by the
"eased worldwide pandemic situation." "Those returned will be put under proper
medical observation at quarantine wards for a week," the statement said.
Gradual reopening post pandemic North Korea shut its borders in early
2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but there have been increasing
signals the country has moved towards reopening. Chinese and Russian
officials attended a military parade in Pyongyang last month — the first
foreign dignitaries to visit the country in years. Last week, a
delegation of athletes was allowed to attend a taekwondo competition in
Kazakhstan, while state-run Air Koryo made its first international commercial
flight in three years. China's Foreign Ministry said it had approved
restarting commercial air travel between Beijing and Pyongyang. Cargo
train and ship traffic has also slowly increased over the past year.
^ I’m sure the majority of North Koreans who were allowed to leave before Covid do not want to return to North Korea – unless they are forced to. ^
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