North Korea resumed Tuesday international passenger flights following their suspension in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a flight from Pyongyang arriving in Beijing in the morning.

North Korea's state-run carrier Air Koryo is set to operate a return flight to Pyongyang on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Beijing Capital International Airport.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday it had approved the restart of passenger flights between China and North Korea to be operated by Air Koryo.

Two flights from Pyongyang are also expected to arrive in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East on Friday and on Aug. 28, Tass news agency has quoted a local airport official as saying.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, North Korea shut its borders in early 2020. Last year, Pyongyang resumed cargo services by train and truck to and from China and Russia.

About 50 people believed to be North Korean athletes bound for Kazakhstan for an international taekwondo event arrived last Wednesday in China's border city of Dandong by bus, marking the first time that Pyongyang has sent a domestic sports team overseas since the borders closed.

==Kyodo

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