Seoul says North Korea, China reopen freight train traffic

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korea and China have resumed their freight train service following a five-month hiatus. The reopening Monday came after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month made a dubious claim to have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and ordered an easing of the restrictions guarding against the spread of the virus. South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it assessed the North Korea-China freight railway service was restarted on Monday. Media reports say a freight train with more than 10 cars left the Chinese border city of Dandong and crossed a railway bridge into North Korea’s Sinuiju city. North Korea has been struggling to revive an economy battered by the pandemic, U.N. sanctions and mismanagement.