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Chinese officials managing Korean War memorial facility return to North Korea after 5 years

Published: 07 Apr. 2025, 21:54

Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun, center, is seen visiting a memorial facility in North Korea for Chinese troops who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War on April 1 in this photo provided by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang. [YONHAP]

Chinese officials tasked with managing a memorial facility for troops who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War returned to North Korea for the first time in five years, the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang said Monday.

According to the embassy's website, 14 Chinese officials arrived in North Korea last Monday via the border between Dandong in China's Liaoning Province and the North Korean city of Sinuiju.

They were welcomed by Kim Chul-young, director of foreign cooperation at North Korea's Ministry of Urban Management.

The return marks the first return of Chinese personnel managing Korean War memorial sites since the North closed its borders five years ago over the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun visited the site to welcome their return. Wang is said to have emphasized strengthening the ties between the two countries, noting this year marks the 75th anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War.

Last year, few high-level exchanges occurred between Pyongyang and Beijing despite it being declared the "Year of China-North Korea Friendship."

But recent signs, including China's resumption of news reporting from within North Korea in February, suggest bilateral ties may be gradually reviving.

Yonhap