A direct flight route connecting Moscow, Russia, and Pyongyang, North Korea, will open at the end of this month.
This measure symbolically demonstrates the close ties between the two countries that have rapidly developed since the Ukraine war.
According to local media Moscow Times on the 20th, Russian low-cost airline Nordwind will start operating direct flights between Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport and Pyongyang from the 27th. The flight time is expected to take about 8 hours. The ticket prices are reported to start at 44,600 rubles (approximately 790,000 won).
Russian aviation authorities have granted Nordwind permission to operate twice a week. The Russian Ministry of Transport noted, "We will initially operate about once a month to create sustainable demand."
Previously, the only direct flight connection between the two countries was the Pyongyang-Vladivostok route operated by Air Koryo. This route had been suspended for three years due to COVID-19 and resumed in August 2023. To travel from Moscow to Pyongyang, one had to fly to distant Vladivostok and then transfer or take a train.
While the establishment of direct flight routes has simplified physical movement, travel to North Korea remains severely restricted in nature.
A representative from the local Russian tourism industry explained, "North Korea can still only be entered through group tours," adding that "even after the launch of the new route, individuals cannot travel freely."
North Korea has been gradually opening its borders since COVID-19. However, so far, most foreign visitors have been tourists from Russia.
This opening of direct flights clearly illustrates the deepened relations between the two countries following the Ukraine war. North Korea is currently Russia's closest ally, which is ostracized by the international community. During President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea last year, the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty.
The two countries are also accelerating the restoration of other transport networks beyond air routes. The direct train service between Moscow and Pyongyang, which had been suspended for five years, resumed last June, and the restoration of maritime passenger routes is also reportedly in progress.