Unification Ministry Says North Korea Hasn't Opened Its Borders With China

China's border with North Korea in Dangdong City. (Wikimedia Commons/Prince Roy)

JAKARTA - North Korea has yet to reopen its land border with China, amid indications of rapid preparations to ease lockdown measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

South Korea has been watching closely for signs North Korea is reopening its borders, which have remained closed for nearly two years due to the coronavirus crisis.

"Signs of preparations for resuming trade continues to be detected, but not at the stage to say trade has resumed, or the North Korea-China border lockdown has been lifted," Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Jong-joo told a regular press conference, citing the Korea Times November 22.

Earlier this month, local media broadcast footage of a train crossing a bridge over the Amnok River connecting Sinuiju in North Korea to the Chinese port city of Dandong, China.

"We are monitoring the situation closely, as easing the border lockdown by North Korea will result in a better environment for cooperation between the two Koreas or with the international community," Lee said.

To note, South Korea and the United States are coordinating humanitarian assistance to North Korea, although Pyongyang remains unresponsive to Washington's offer of dialogue.

During Monday's briefing, Lee expressed disappointment at the little progress in inter-Korean talks, as Pyongyang has remained silent on the proposal to set up a virtual conference system that Seoul is proposing for dialogue.

"We regret that the restoration of communication channels has not resulted in the infrastructure for dialogue, such as the video conferencing system as we proposed, or in substantive talks in various regions," he said.