North Korea, China reopen rail freight services after ending pandemic trade ban

North Korea and China began cross-border train freight shipments on Monday, ending the longstanding pandemic trade embargo, according to a media report. As per the reports of Radio Free Asia, trains resume services between Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea, across the Yalu River border. Trading enterprises have been busy transferring various products to the Sinuiju and Uiju districts to prepare them for export to China, according to an official working at a trade agency in Sinuiju.

The official also stated that they are drafting contracts with their Chinese counterparts for the importation of supplies from China, according to Radio Free Asia. Prior to the shutdown of the Sino-Korean border in January 2020, China was responsible for more than 90% of North Korea's yearly international commerce. Because of the abrupt halt in trade, commercial activity in North Korean towns has dried up. People who had made life by buying and selling Chinese items were no longer able to do so.

North Korea will face food shortages of up to 860,000 tonnes

Food imports from China were also unavailable due to the closure of the border, further increasing worries of mass hunger. According to a recent projection from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, North Korea will be short roughly 860,000 tonnes of food this year, or about two months' worth of average demand. Despite the dire economic circumstances, authorities were hesitant to reopen the border, fearing that resuming trade might spread the coronavirus and jeopardise public health in Pyongyang. Rail freight from China was handled at Pyongyang's Seopo Station before being sent to its final destination prior to the outbreak.

According to Radio Free Asia, a source that doesn't want to be recognised indicated that all foreign freight from China will arrive in Dandong and then be processed in Uiju. However, the source also stated that imports from China must stop at Uiju station for customs and disinfection, then go to the quarantine facility for a week before being disseminated to other parts of North Korea.

WHO ships medical supplies from China to North Korea

Late in September, the World Health Organization (WHO) restarted shipments of medical supplies from China to North Korea. According to Radio Free Asia, North Korea also accepted food help from China as a freight train filled with Chinese corn, which is described as animal feed by North Korea left Dandong for Sinuiju at night in April.

(Inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP)