Direct Flights Between Russia and North Korea Commence
On July 27, 2025, Nordwind Airlines inaugurated its first direct flight connecting Moscow and Pyongyang, marking a notable development in Russia-North Korea relations. The launch follows the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia, Rosaviatsia, granting the airline permission to operate regular flights earlier this month. The flight took off with a Boeing 777-200ER, capable of accommodating 440 passengers, with an estimated duration of just over eight hours, reports 24brussels.
Tickets for the inaugural flight went on sale on July 18 at a starting price of 44,600 rubles and were sold out within four days. As per the Russian Transport Ministry, these flights will operate on a monthly basis.
Air traffic between Russia and North Korea had previously been suspended in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in August 2023. North Korea’s national carrier, Air Koryo, continues to operate three weekly flights from Vladivostok to Pyongyang, with Russian citizens able to visit North Korea only as part of organized tours. The opening of a new tourist complex, Wonsan-Kalma, this July on the Sea of Japan’s coast is expected to attract further interest in travel between the two nations.
The introduction of direct flights signals a significant shift in diplomatic ties, with both countries keen on enhancing cooperation amid a complex geopolitical landscape in the region. Observers remark that this initiative could facilitate increased interaction between the populations of both countries, thereby strengthening bilateral relations.
