List of Air Koryo destinations explained

Air Koryo is the flag carrier of North Korea,[1] owned by the country's National Aviation Administration of the DPRK, formerly the Air Koryo Administration.[2] It was established in early 1950, soon after the creation of the country's flag, as Soviet–North Korean Airline or SOKAO, a joint venture between the North Korean and Soviet governments operating flights between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, with select flights transiting in Chongjin, North Korea. More routes were then launched to serve cities of the Manchuria region in China: Beijing, as well as Chita via Shenyang, Harbin, Qiqihar, and Hailar. They were all operated using the Lisunov Li-2,[3] and as part of an alliance with Soviet flag carrier Aeroflot who sought to expand its network.

Shortly after, the Korean War meant suspending services up to July 1953, when it was rebranded Ukamps and its network was shrunk to Pyongyang, Beijing, and Shenyang. It henceforth expanded its fleet, comprising Soviet Union products.[4] On 21 September 1955, it was rebranded again to Korean Airways, with ownership shifted to the North Korean government following the Civil Aviation Administration of Korea. Domestic flights to Hamhung, North Korea, were added in 1958, but due to the North Korean people's lack of income and restrictions on travel, all domestic flights were temporarily discontinued. European flights to Berlin, Prague, and Moscow were launched using their first jetliner, the Tupolev Tu-154. In March 1992, following the end of the Cold War, it was rebranded again to Air Koryo and operated cargo routes to Russia and China using the Ilyushin Il-76. In 2006, the same year an accident occurred, the airline was banned from European Union airspace due to safety and maintenance concerns, and it has since not resumed routes there despite their Tupolev Tu-204 being granted flying rights in March 2010.

Air Koryo saw various route cancellations due to its controversial government. On 20 April 2011, it launched flights to Kuala Lumpur,[5] with the last flight on 8 June 2014; it was later banned in 2017 due to sanctions following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam at the airport.[6] In 2011, flights to Kuwait City were launched, however, six months later it was cancelled to prevent North Koreans from spreading news of the Arab Spring to their homeland.[7] It later resumed in March 2014,[8] but in October 2016 the airline was banned by the government, citing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2270.[9] In July 2017, Pakistan banned the airline in Islamabad, often used as refueling stopover for the Kuwait route. In April, flights to Bangkok were banned. On 2 August 2019 following a 15-year pause, Air Koryo resumed flights to Macau.[10] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all flights were cancelled starting February 2020. On 22 August 2023, the airline resumed operations with a flight to Beijing as well as two flights to Vladivostok on 25 and 28 August.[11] The last Beijing flight was on 29 August; it was theorized the flights were only repatriating abroad North Korean citizens, and as bilateral token gestures.[12]

Destinations

All routes except those to and from Pyongyang, Shenyang, Beijing, and Vladivostok are assumed terminated per the latest reports of the remaining routes.

+CountryCityAirportNotes
BulgariaSofiaSofia Airport
ChinaBeijing[13]
DalianDalian Zhoushuizi International Airport[14] [15]
DandongDandong Langtou Airport[16] [17] [18]
HailarHulunbeier Hailar Airport
HarbinHarbin Taiping International Airport
QiqiharQiqihar Sanjiazi Airport
ShanghaiShanghai Pudong International Airport[19]
ShenyangShenyang Taoxian International Airport
MacauMacau International Airport
Czech RepublicPragueVáclav Havel Airport Prague
GermanyBerlinBerlin Schönefeld Airport[20]
HungaryBudapestBudapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport[21]
JapanNagoyaNagoya Komaki Airport
NiigataNiigata Airport
KuwaitKuwait CityKuwait International Airport
MalaysiaKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur International Airport
North KoreaChongjinOrang Airport
HyesanHyesan Airfield
HamhungSondok Airport
PyongyangPyongyang International Airport
SamjiyonSamjiyon Airport
WonsanKalma Airport[22]
PakistanIslamabadBenazir Bhutto International Airport
RussiaChitaKadala Airport[23]
IrkutskInternational Airport Irkutsk[24]
KhabarovskKhabarovsk Novy Airport
MoscowSheremetyevo International Airport
NovosibirskTolmachevo Airport
VladivostokVladivostok International Airport
SerbiaBelgradeBelgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
SingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport
South KoreaSeoulIncheon International Airport
SwitzerlandZürichZurich Airport
ThailandBangkokSuvarnabhumi Airport[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-08-22 . North Korea's Air Koryo makes first international flight since COVID . 2023-09-16 . . 14 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230914235018/https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/8/22/north-koreas-air-koryo-makes-first-international-flight-since-covid . live .
  2. Web site: Zwirko . Colin . 2021-09-29 . Kim Jong Un suggests restoring inter-Korean hotlines in early October . 2023-09-16 . . 29 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230429173653/https://www.nknews.org/2021/09/kim-jong-un-suggests-restoring-inter-korean-hotlines-in-early-october/ . live .
  3. Book: Davies, R. E. G. . Airlines of Asia: Since 1920 . . 1997 . 978-0-85177-855-6 . London . 534 . North Korean Airline . 16 September 2023.
  4. News: 1961-04-13 . World Airlines Survey . 512 . . dead . 2023-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120809050430/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961%20-%200504.html . 2012-08-09 . FlightGlobal Archive.
  5. Web site: 20 April 2011 . North Korea's Air Koryo makes maiden landing at KLIA . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928223017/https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2011/04/20/north-koreas-air-koryo-makes-maiden-landing-at-klia . 28 September 2022 . 2023-09-16 . The Star.
  6. Web site: Lee . Jenny . 25 January 2017 . UN: North Korean Airline Facing Growing Restrictions . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180113083209/https://www.voanews.com/a/un-north-korea-airline-restrictions/3691227.html . 13 January 2018 . 2023-09-16 . . Washington, D.C..
  7. Web site: 2011-11-10 . North's Air Koryo cancels service to Kuwait City . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230321103906/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2011/11/10/socialAffairs/Norths-Air-Koryo-cancels-service-to-Kuwait-City/2944005.html . 21 March 2023 . 2023-09-16 . . Yonhap News Agency.
  8. Web site: OCarroll . Chad . 27 March 2014 . North Korea's Air Koryo resumes Pyongyang - Kuwait service . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531223513/https://www.nknews.org/2014/03/north-koreas-air-koryo-resumes-kuwait-city-flight/ . 31 May 2023 . 2023-09-16 . NK News.
  9. Web site: Macdonald . Hamish . 25 October 2016 . Air Koryo no longer permitted to operate Pyongyang-Kuwait route . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230609040125/https://www.nknews.org/2016/10/air-koryo-no-longer-permitted-to-operate-pyongyang-kuwait-route/ . 9 June 2023 . 2023-09-16 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: 25 July 2019 . North Korea's Air Koryo to begin direct flights to Macau . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221227080513/https://www.thejakartapost.com/travel/2019/07/25/north-koreas-air-koryo-to-begin-direct-flights-to-macau.html . 27 December 2022 . 2023-09-16 . . . Agence France-Presse.
  11. Web site: Patrick . Holly . 22 August 2023 . Watch: North Korea's first international commercial flight in three years . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829140334/https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/north-korea-china-flight-beijing-b2397376.html . 29 August 2023 . 19 September 2023 . The Independent.
  12. Web site: Chung . Ester . 6 September 2019 . Air Koryo flights appear halted after brief resumption . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230911192222/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-09-06/national/northKorea/Air-Koryo-flights-appear-halted-after-brief-resumption/1863579 . 2023-09-11 . 2023-09-18 . Korea JoongAng Daily.
  13. Web site: 29 August 2006 . North Korea carrier Air Koryo seeks to update fleet with Russian airliners and extend flights to 'Axis of Evil' states . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210612004452/https://www.flightglobal.com/north-korea-carrier-air-koryo-seeks-to-update-fleet-with-russian-airliners-and-extend-flights-to-axis-of-evil-states/69312.article . 12 June 2021 . 1 November 2023 . . DVV Media Group.
  14. Web site: 16 September 2018 . N. Korea resumes flights to China's Dalian amid improving bilateral ties . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231101073941/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/11/103_255600.html . 1 November 2023 . 1 November 2023 . . Dongwha Enterprise . Yonhap News Agency.
  15. Book: Maierbrugger, Arno . Reiseführer Nordkorea: Geschichte, Kultur, Sehenswürdigkeiten . Trescher Verlag . 2014 . 9783897944015 . Berlin . 27 . de . North Korea Guide: History, Culture, Sights . 1003864924.
  16. Web site: O'Carroll . Chad . 22 March 2017 . Air Koryo to start twice weekly Pyongyang-Dandong flights . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210907002951/https://www.nknews.org/pro/air-koryo-to-start-twice-weekly-pyongyang-dandong-flights/ . 7 September 2021 . 1 November 2023 . NK News.
  17. Web site: Pearson . James . Wong . Sue-Lin . 21 April 2017 . Colas, cigarettes: North Korea airline diversifies as threats mount of sanctions . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108182156/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/21/asia-pacific/colas-cigarettes-north-korea-airline-diversifies-threats-mount-sanctions/#.WgNLUHbP32c . 8 November 2017 . 30 October 2023 . . . Reuters.
  18. Web site: 20 May 2017 . Air Koryo suspends 'Pyongyang-Dandong' route . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220313192415/https://www.dailynk.com/english/air-koryo-suspends-pyongyangdandon/ . 13 March 2022 . 1 November 2023 . Daily NK.
  19. First regular flight from Shanghai to NKorea leaves . 30 July 2015 . Videotape . en, zh . . 1 July 2011 . 1 November 2023 . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20231101083013/OQ5rPQ50CZ0 . 1 November 2023 . live . YouTube.
  20. Web site: Liu . Jim . 7 July 2011 . 2000: Air Koryo Network . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20230208010310/https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/117462/2000-air-koryo-network/ . 8 February 2023 . 18 January 2022 . Routes. Aviation Week Network.
  21. Web site: Destinations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091016110259/http://www.korea-dpr.com//Air%20Koryo/destinations.htm . 16 October 2009 . 31 October 2023 . Air Koryo.
  22. Web site: Zwirko . Colin . 17 May 2018 . Air Koryo to begin weekly Pyongyang-Wonsan flights in June: state media . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002201009/http://nknews.org/2018/05/air-koryo-to-begin-weekly-pyongyang-wonsan-flights-in-june-state-media/ . 2 October 2022 . 1 November 2023 . NK News.
  23. Web site: Welcome to Air Koryo! . . 23 October 2012 . 27 October 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121027012320/http://www.airkoryo.com.kp/en/company/history . dead .
  24. Web site: 1991 . 1991 time table . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721222530/http://timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/js91/js91-05.jpg . 21 July 2011 . 9 October 2010 . . ko . timetableimages.com.
  25. Web site: 7 November 2011 . Air Koryo W11 Operation . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210923123907/https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/131551/air-koryo-w11-operation/ . 23 September 2021 . 18 January 2022 . Routes. Aviation Week Network.

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