North Korea to Allow Return of Overseas Citizens After Pandemic, With Mandatory Quarantine

According to a report based on the State Emergency Prevention Center by North Korean media, for the first time after the pandemic, North Koreans living abroad will be allowed to return to the country.

These individuals will be subjected to a mandatory one-week quarantine for a “regular health examination.”

Analysts noted that this step would enable the return of North Korean students, workers, and other citizens predominantly located in China and Russia.

Flights had resumed
In recent days, North Korea has signaled the end of its 3-year-long closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After closing its borders due to the outbreak of Covid-19, North Korea’s first passenger plane departed for overseas on August 22, nearly 3 years later.

According to data from flight tracking site Flightradar24, the national airline Air Koryo’s flight numbered “JS151” departed from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, and landed in Beijing, the capital of China.

Chinese and Russian officials attended a military ceremony held in the North Korean capital Pyongyang last month, marking the first foreign delegations to visit the country since the outbreak began.

Furthermore, last week, North Korean taekwondo national team athletes embarked on a land journey to Beijing to travel by train to Kazakhstan for the World Championships, indicating a reconnection with the outside world.