Yet another North Korea–China border opening report (including tourism)

By Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein

At this point, non-materializing reports about the China–North Korea opening for full traffic are too many to count. A recent story by SCMP (link here) claims both truck trade and tourism from China to North Korea will start in one month. But “sources briefed by officials on both sides” is an acknowledgment that the report is not based on direct sources. And as has seemed the case for North Korea since Covid-19, plans for policy changes can often change and often do. Judging by the policy pattern, there doesn’t seem to be an overall strategy or timeplan.