N. Korea closes air, train routes with China over coronavirus fear

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has shut down all its air and railway routes across its borders with China in an apparent effort to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus into the country, according to the British government.

Pyongyang has announced that "all air and train routes between North Korea and China are temporarily suspended as of 31 January 2020" in response to the outbreak of the new virus across the globe, the British foreign ministry said on its website.

The move came as Pyongyang has been stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly illness, which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

According to Chinese authorities, the new virus has killed at least 213 and infected more than 9,690 in the country. North Korea has not yet reported any confirmed infections.

Earlier, the Russian mission in Pyongyang quoted the Air China office there as saying that all its flights to the North for the next month have been canceled.

North Korea has also decided to keep all foreigners arriving in the country via China to be isolated for up to one month to prevent the pneumonia-like illness from spreading onto its soil, according to the Russian Embassy.

scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)