photo source, Getty Images
The ‘China-Joint Friendship Bridge’ (left) connecting Dandong, China and Sinuiju, North Korea is visible.
As the second freight train departing from Sinuiju, North Korea, arrived in Dandong, China on the morning of the 17th, interest is being drawn to whether material exchanges between North Korea and China, which have been closed due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), can be further expanded.
The resumption of freight train operation between North Korea and China came 24 months after North Korea closed its border on January 31, 2020, for the prevention of the corona virus. It has also been a year and a half since all overland trade between North Korea and China was halted.
Earlier, the first freight train departing from North Korea arrived at Dandong Station across the ‘China-China Friendship Bridge’ around 9 am the day before (16th) and returned to North Korea this morning.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, told BBC Korea, “It is judged that some border lockdowns have been lifted because there is a certain degree of confidence in quarantine along with the necessity of overcoming the corona virus.”
“Although North Korea is internally shouting for self-reliance, the economic difficulties have been aggravated by the border blockade that has continued for the past two years, so it is very urgent to improve the lives of its residents.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China announced on the 17th that North Korea-China freight train operation, which had been suspended for a while due to infectious diseases, was resumed from Dandong to Sinuiju through friendly negotiations between the two sides, and plans to help normal trade traffic on the basis of securing quarantine and safety.
What goods are transported?
North Korea’s resumption of freight train operation is said to be aimed at securing necessary supplies from China. It is also expected that trains will operate daily for the time being.
“The freight train bound for North Korea, which departed from Dandong on the 17th, was loaded with daily necessities such as Chinese wheat flour and edibles, basic chemical products, and items requested by the central authority,” said Jeong Seong-jang, head of the North Korean Research Center at the Sejong Institute.
In addition, it is predicted that cargo brought into North Korea will be moved to the Uiju quarantine center to disinfect it for about 10 days before being transported inside North Korea.
He also analyzed, “As we are approaching the so-called ‘revolutionary major events’ of the 80th anniversary of the birthday of Chairman Kim Jong-in in February and the 110th anniversary of the birthday of President Kim Il-sung in April, it is very urgent to solve the problem of the daily necessities of the residents.”
Some point out that there is a clear limit to the inflow of goods from the North as the international community continues to impose sanctions on North Korea.
Kim Han-kwon, a professor at the National Diplomatic Academy, said, “China has always taken a positive stance to promote strategic friendly and cooperative relations with North Korea under the US-China strategic competitive landscape. .
In a situation where North Korea fires ballistic missiles one after another, if China provides North Korea with goods that violate international sanctions, it will inevitably be a huge burden on China as well.
Professor Kim emphasized, “As the US-China rivalry intensifies day by day, Western society, centered on the United States, can put pressure on China once again, so China is also cautious.”
photo source, Getty Images
A cargo ship from China’s Jiangsu Province waits to collect cargo from North Korean container trucks at the North Korean border.
Border opening, will it expand?
Experts expressed a cautious stance on whether to expand the border opening between North Korea and China, starting with the resumption of train service.
It is necessary to closely monitor the situation as train operations have resumed while the COVID-19 epidemic has not been resolved.
Professor Kim Han-kwon said, “We do not know when the train operation will end as there are still concerns about how long North Korea’s missile test launch will continue, and concerns about internal economic difficulties and the corona situation.”
However, following economic exchanges with China, there are many possibilities to discuss supply of vaccines and emergency supplies through a humanitarian approach, as well as nutrition and medical care for North Koreans, especially women and children.
“If there are no special problems with the resumption of trade through the freight train, it is known that North Korea and China are planning to hold an opening ceremony for the New Yalu River Bridge at the end of February, after the Beijing Winter Olympics,” said
However, he predicted, “Whether North Korea-China trade will continue or expand will depend on how effectively it can contain the coronavirus.”
Earlier, in April last year, North Korea opened the border with China and tried to bring in supplies, but the operation of the quarantine facilities continued to be delayed due to insufficient preparation of disinfection facilities. As a result, Choi Sang-geon, the party’s secretary for science and education, who was in charge of quarantine, was dismissed.
“In November of last year, we even completed detailed discussions to resume the operation of freight trains between North Korea and China, but they were canceled due to the sudden spread of the corona virus in northeast China,” he added.
