North Korea's trade with China jumps year

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North Korea's trade with China jumped year-on-year in April as the two nations had resumed railroad freight traffic, according to Chinese customs data on Wednesday.

North Korea's trade volume with China stood at $102 million in April, compared with some 30 million for the same month a year ago, according to the data.

Railroad freight traffic between North Korea and China halted in August 2020 due to outbreaks of COVID-19 in China, and resumed in January this year.

Trade between North Korea and China is expected to decline in May as railroad freight traffic was suspended again on April 29 due to tightened border controls put in place to ward off a COVID-19 outbreak in China's border city of Dandong.

Last Thursday, North Korea reported its first COVID-19 case after claiming to be coronavirus-free for over two years. In response, Pyongyang declared the implementation of the "maximum emergency" virus control system.

So far, North Korea, with a population of 24 million, has reported more than 1.72 million fever cases and 62 fatalities. (Yonhap)