A railway passenger service connecting Russia’s Far East and the port city of Rason in North Korea, which has been suspended for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to resume operation as early as this month. This is the latest development in the deepening relations between Russia and North Korea following the recent signing of a comprehensive partnership agreement.
Last Wednesday (June 26th), the International Telegraph Agency (Interfax) cited Oleg Kozhemyako, the Governor of the Russian Far East Primorsky Territory bordering North Korea, saying that trains would resume operation in July, running from the city of Vladivostok in Russia to Rason in North Korea. He mentioned that this would provide convenience for tourists to appreciate and experience the “beauty, nature, and culture of North Korea”.
Rason is a major port city near the border with China and Russia, located approximately 520 kilometers northeast of Pyongyang. It was designated by North Korea as its first foreign investment trade zone in 1991. In 2010, Rason was upgraded to a special city under central jurisdiction. However, due to international sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear development, the city has faced challenges in attracting foreign investment.
According to Nikkei Asia, after the resumption of the Russia-North Korea passenger train service, the next step could involve North Korea sending more laborers to Russia. For a long time, these North Korean workers have earned significant foreign exchange for the Kim Jong-un regime and provided much-needed labor for Russia, which is facing a labor shortage due to its war with Ukraine.
In October last year, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported images taken by the US commercial satellite operator Planet Labs, showing increased railway transport activities between Russia and North Korea, with these vehicles seemingly used for transporting goods in large quantities. Transport activities surged following the summit between Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin from September 13th to 17th.
On May 31st this year, foreign ministers from 10 countries including South Korea, the United States, Japan, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint statement opposing North Korea providing weapons to Russia.
The statement stated that those entities and individuals involved in the illegal transfer of weapons from North Korea to Russia for use in attacking Ukraine will be held accountable through sanctions against North Korea and Russia.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the US and its allies have imposed sanctions on Moscow, prompting Russia to seek economic, military, and diplomatic ties with Asian and African countries.
Putin’s first visit to North Korea since 2000 last week deepened Moscow’s relationship with Pyongyang, leading to the signing of a bilateral agreement including a mutual defense commitment.