Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang cancelled two hours after its scheduled arrival in Beijing.
North Korea’s national airline experienced an unexpected turn of events on Monday as it prepared for its first commercial flight in over three years.
The anticipated flight, operated by Air Koryo, was slated to travel from Pyongyang and arrive in Beijing’s Capital International Airport at 9.50 am.
Journalists gathered at the airport to cover the event, eagerly awaiting the flight’s arrival. However, disappointment rippled through the media personnel when, almost two hours after the scheduled landing time, the arrivals board showed flight JS151 as cancelled.
Despite the anticipation and the waiting journalists, the reason for the sudden cancellation remained a mystery. Air Koryo did not provide any explanation for the decision, leaving those involved and interested in the event puzzled.
“During the summer and autumn flight season … the Chinese side approved flight plans for passengers such as the Pyongyang-Beijing and Beijing-Pyongyang routes of Air Koryo,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.
Efforts to obtain more information from Air Koryo’s Beijing office were unsuccessful as AFP reporters could not reach the office on Monday.
An official commented on the situation, explaining that there are indications of North Korea possibly reopening its borders, but the extent and nature of this reopening remain uncertain.
It’s unclear whether this move represents a comprehensive border reopening or a more controlled and limited adjustment.
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