N. KOREA STARTS OPENING IT’S BORDERS

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea is slowly opening its borders that were closed in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. China has started sending cargo shipments first from Dandong in the Yalu River, region and then via the North Korea-Russia railway in the Tumen River area.

[Pkg]

A shipping company in China started sending cargo to North Korea from Hunchun, Jilin Province on June 26th. The freight traveled through Makhalina, Russia on the North Korea-Russia railway and arrived at Tumen River Station in North Korea three days later on June 29th. The cargo took up six 40-foot containers.

[Soundbite] (SHIPPING COMPANY EMPLOYEE) : "The train hasn't returned yet, but regular service will be launched soon. We had to carry out a test run first."

The shipping company refused to reveal the contents of the shipment. But it did confirm North Korea was the final destination. It also explained that regular cargo shipping services will be provided through the railway linking North Korea, China, and Russia. The pilot operation signals the imminent launch of railway-marine transportation that connects Najin Port in North Korea and the southern region of China.

[Soundbite] (SHIPPING COMPANY EMPLOYEE) : "We operate the Binhai No. 2. It travels from Hunchun to the Makhalina railway customs and then to Zarubino Port before arriving in southern China by sea."

In April, Pyongyang imported grains from Russia. The amount was almost equal to the total grain imports of the past five years.