The first passenger ship from North Korea with 40 passengers arrived in the Russian port of Vladivostok this morning, thus introducing a new regular sea route that will connect the two countries, reports Tanjug.
The first passengers on the ship, which left the North Korean port of Rason last night, were representatives of Chinese travel agencies and Russian citizens, and the transport of tourists is expected next Sunday.
The ship, which has 40 cabins and can accommodate 200 passengers and about 1.500 tons of cargo, a restaurant, two bars, a sauna and a party hall, will operate once a week.
Japan has expressed concern over the launch of the first sea line between North Korea and Russia, announcing that it will closely monitor the impact of this development in the context of efforts to contain North Korea's nuclear threats, reports Sputnik.
So far, no passenger ships have operated between Russia and North Korea.
The North Korean city of Rason, which borders Russia's Primorsky Territory and China's Jilin Province, has the status of a special economic zone.
Even in the Soviet era, when the ties between the USSR and North Korea were more active, there was no cargo-passenger sea line between the two countries, reminds TAS S.
Until now, traffic between the two countries has been carried out by air between Vladivostok and Pyongyang and by rail via Hasan station.
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