Kim Jong Un Welcomes Russian Jets

The Pyongyang Connection: A New Iron Curtain Rises in the East

A new, direct air bridge now connects Moscow and Pyongyang, signalling a stark geopolitical shift. The inaugural commercial flight by Russia's Nordwind Airlines linking the two capital cities commenced this month, a move that transcends mere tourism. This development cements an increasingly bold alliance between two nations isolated by international sanctions. For a Kremlin facing limited travel choices for its citizens, the route offers a friendly, if highly controversial, destination. For the isolated regime in Pyongyang, it represents a vital economic and diplomatic lifeline, showcasing a deepening partnership that carries significant implications for global security.

An Unprecedented Air Route

The inaugural service from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport to Pyongyang marked the first direct commercial flight path connecting the capital cities in decades. Operated by Nordwind Airlines, a private Russian carrier, the eight-hour journey across 6,500 kilometres represents a significant logistical and political statement. The flight, using a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with a capacity for 440 passengers, was reported by Russian state media to have been fully booked. A seat on the plane cost approximately 45,000 rubles ($570). This air link has been established after Russia's civil aviation authority granted Nordwind permission to operate the route twice weekly.

A Measured Beginning

Despite the clearance for more frequent travel, the Russian transport ministry indicated a more cautious initial approach. The service will begin with only one flight per month. Officials state this schedule is designed to help cultivate stable and consistent demand. The initial journey back to Moscow from the capital of North Korea was scheduled for the Tuesday following the inaugural landing. This measured rollout suggests that while the political will is strong, the practicalities of creating a popular tourist and travel corridor are still being assessed by both nations.

Nordwind’s New Direction

Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Nordwind Airlines was a familiar carrier for Russian holidaymakers. The airline operated an extensive network of routes to popular European destinations, including Spain and Germany, as well as long-haul trips to Mexico and Thailand. However, sweeping European Union sanctions banning Russian aircraft from its airspace decimated the airline's international business. The company, which operates a fleet of Western-made Boeing and Airbus planes, has since been relegated primarily to domestic routes. The new Pyongyang service is a clear pivot, replacing lost European tourism with a new, geopolitically aligned alternative.

A Historic Welcome

The arrival in Pyongyang was met with ceremony. A video shared by a Russian news agency showed North Korean officials and flight attendants greeting the disembarking passengers with flowers. Among those on the flight was an official Russian delegation, including Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources, Alexander Kozlov, signifying the importance Moscow places on this new link. One Nordwind employee described the new service as a landmark occasion that reinforces the bonds between the two countries. Vladimir Poteshkin, Russia’s deputy transport minister, hailed the flight as a new chapter in a diplomatic history spanning over seven decades.

A Pact Forged in Isolation

The new air service is a tangible outcome of a rapidly intensifying partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang. This alignment has been accelerated by Russia's war in Ukraine and North Korea's continued nuclear ambitions. Both nations find themselves heavily sanctioned and increasingly isolated from the West. This shared adversity has fostered a relationship built on mutual need and a shared opposition to the United States and its allies. The partnership extends far beyond symbolic gestures, now encompassing significant military and economic cooperation that challenges international non-proliferation and sanctions regimes.

The Treaty of Partnership

In June 2024, the relationship was formalized during a visit to Pyongyang by Vladimir Putin, his first in 24 years. During the highly publicized summit, he and Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" treaty. Putin lauded the agreement as a "breakthrough document," while Kim described it as the "strongest ever treaty" between them. The pact solidifies their ties, creating a formal framework for cooperation on defence, trade, and technology, effectively creating a united front against what they perceive as Western hostility.

A Clause of Mutual Defence

The most critical component of the new treaty is its mutual defence clause. Article 4 of the agreement commits both nations to provide immediate military and other assistance if either party falls into a state of war. This clause revives a level of security cooperation reminiscent of the Cold War era. Kim Jong Un called the pact "peaceful and defensive in nature," yet it has been interpreted by Western nations as a significant threat to regional stability. The United States, Japan, and South Korea issued a joint statement condemning the move, expressing grave concern over the security implications.

An Alliance on the Battlefield

The strategic partnership is not merely theoretical. Western intelligence agencies have accused North Korea of providing substantial military support for Russia's war efforts in Ukraine. This support allegedly includes vast quantities of artillery shells and advanced ballistic missiles used to target Ukrainian cities. Furthermore, there are reports that Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region. This direct involvement transforms the relationship from a transactional one into a functional military alliance, with North Korea actively participating in a major European conflict.

Skirting Global Sanctions

A key driver of the partnership is the desire to circumvent the extensive international sanctions faced by both regimes. The UN Security Council has passed numerous resolutions since 2006 to curb North Korea's nuclear program, covering everything from arms embargoes to financial restrictions. Putin has openly stated that Russia will continue to oppose these "illegal" sanctions and work with Pyongyang to develop alternative payment systems "not controlled by the West." This cooperation is designed to create a parallel economic system that allows both countries to trade and transfer technology without fear of Western reprisal.

 Image Credit - Skytrax

Tourism in the Hermit Kingdom

With traditional vacation spots across Europe now inaccessible, North Korea is being presented as an attractive alternative for Russian travellers. The new Moscow-Pyongyang flight is the primary channel for a nascent tourism industry tailored specifically for Russians. This initiative provides North Korea with a desperately needed source of foreign currency. For travellers from Russia, it offers a journey into one of the world's most secretive and controlled societies. The first tours provide a fascinating, if unsettling, glimpse into the curated experience offered by Pyongyang.

The First Wave of Visitors

Even before the direct Moscow flights, North Korea had reopened its borders to Russian visitors. In February 2024, a group of approximately 100 Russians became the first foreign tourists to enter the country after the global health crisis began. They arrived on a flight from the Russian far-eastern city of Vladivostok. Since that initial trip, reports indicate that around 600 tourists from Russia have made the trip, travelling via Vladivostok to Pyongyang. These initial groups have included "test tour delegations" and even teenage ski athletes, paving the way for a more regular flow of visitors.

A Highly Controlled Itinerary

The experience for these pioneering tourists is far from typical. Visitors are on tightly controlled schedules. A recent four-day tour included a flight on the national carrier, Air Koryo, a night in Pyongyang, and a trip to the Masikryong ski resort. This resort, completed in 2014, was part of a previous push to attract foreign visitors. Tourists reported being unable to leave designated areas without their guides, with one travel influencer being told he could not explore independently because he did not speak Korean. Every aspect of the visit is carefully managed to present a specific vision of the nation.

Mixed Reviews from Travellers

Accounts from the first Russian visitors paint a complex picture. Some were intrigued by the novelty of the destination. However, others offered starkly critical assessments. One tourist described the Air Koryo plane as old and smelling of mothballs. Another visitor, after completing the tour, stated she would not return for "moral and ethical reasons," characterizing the state as a "totalitarian dictatorship" that holds little genuine "tourist value." These unfiltered reviews contrast sharply with the polished promotional materials and highlight the challenges of marketing a nation built on control and secrecy.

An Economic Lifeline

Despite the mixed feedback, the push for tourism continues, driven by powerful economic needs. North Korea's economy has been crippled by decades of mismanagement and severe international sanctions. Tourism is one of the very few sectors not explicitly targeted by UN resolutions and therefore represents a critical potential source of foreign cash. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has personally endorsed the country as a tourist destination. This high-level support underscores the strategic importance of this economic initiative for both Moscow and Pyongyang.

Pyongyang’s Grand Designs

North Korea’s leadership has long harboured ambitions of developing a thriving tourism sector. The nation's east coast, with its beaches and mountains, has been the focus of massive state-led development projects. These initiatives are personally championed by Kim Jong Un as symbols of national progress and economic self-reliance. However, these grand designs have been consistently undermined by sanctions, a lack of infrastructure, and the unpredictable nature of the regime itself. The new focus on Russian tourists is the latest attempt to breathe life into these stalled projects.

The Wonsan-Kalma Dream

The centrepiece of North Korea's tourism ambitions is the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone. Construction on this massive resort complex began in 2014. Inspired by international destinations, the project covers a vast stretch of coastline and was designed to accommodate nearly 20,000 guests in hotels, restaurants, and water parks. After years of delays, partly due to the pandemic and supply chain issues, the resort was officially opened with a lavish ceremony on July 1, 2025. Kim Jong Un, North Korea's leader, hailed it as one of the year’s greatest successes.

A Sudden and Mysterious Closure

Despite the grand opening, the project hit an immediate and unexpected snag. Just weeks after welcoming its first domestic visitors and a small group of Russian tourists, North Korea abruptly banned all foreign visitors from the Wonsan-Kalma resort. An official notice posted on a state-run tourism website stated that the complex was "temporarily not receiving foreign tourists," offering no explanation for the sudden reversal. This move bewildered observers and cast serious doubt on the viability of the entire project as an international destination.

 Image Credit - Flowcon

Speculation and Setbacks

Analysts have proposed several theories for the abrupt closure to foreigners. Satellite imagery taken around the time of the opening suggested that construction on some of the largest buildings, including a major hotel, was not yet complete. Other reports pointed to severe infrastructure challenges, with claims that electricity was being diverted from the nearby city of Wonsan to keep the resort's lights on. The high price of the tours, estimated at $1,600 to $1,800 for a week, may also have proven too expensive to attract a significant number of Russian visitors.

A History of Troubled Projects

The difficulties at the Wonsan-Kalma resort are part of a broader pattern. The project itself has been criticized by human rights organizations for its alleged use of forced labour, with workers facing brutal conditions and little pay. Furthermore, North Korea has a history of inconsistent tourism policies. In early 2024, the country briefly allowed entry to tourists from several Western nations before abruptly suspending those visits without explanation. This unpredictability makes it exceptionally difficult to build the stable, long-term partnerships required for a successful tourism industry.

A New Axis in a Shifting World

The launch of an air service linking Moscow and Pyongyang is more than a new travel route; it is a powerful symbol of a changing global order. It represents the consolidation of an alliance between two nuclear-armed states united in their opposition to the West. This partnership has profound implications, effectively merging the security landscapes of Europe and East Asia. While the immediate focus is on tourism and economic exchange, the underlying military cooperation poses a direct challenge to international stability and the global sanctions regime.

A Challenge to Sanctions

The growing cooperation involving Russia and North Korea actively undermines decades of international effort to contain Pyongyang's nuclear program. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia once voted in favour of sanctions against North Korea. Now, Moscow is actively working to dismantle that very framework. This collaboration could provide North Korea with access to sensitive military technology, potentially helping it to leapfrog stages of development for its weapons systems. The new flights could also be used to transport sanctioned goods or personnel, bypassing international oversight.

Regional Security in Flux

The deepening alliance is forcing a strategic reassessment across the region. Japan has viewed the partnership as a clear deterioration of its security environment. It has also solidified the alignment between South Korea and Japan, pushing both nations closer to the United States. Interestingly, China appears to be navigating the new dynamic carefully. While Putin was in Pyongyang formalizing his pact with Kim, Chinese officials were holding separate security talks with their counterparts in South Korea, suggesting Beijing wishes to maintain its own strategic flexibility.

The Future of the Connection

The success of the Moscow-Pyongyang connection remains uncertain. The initial enthusiasm may wane as the realities of travel to a highly restrictive and underdeveloped destination become clear. The sudden closure of the Wonsan-Kalma resort to foreigners is a stark reminder of the regime's unpredictability. However, the political and strategic motivations behind the alliance are powerful. For as long as Moscow and Pyongyang remain isolated from the West, their mutual need for economic, military, and diplomatic support will likely ensure that the Pyongyang connection, in some form, endures.