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Air Koryo is the flag carrier of North Korea, owned by the country's National Aviation Administration of the DPRK, formerly the Air Koryo Administration. 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, 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. 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, 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. 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. It later resumed in March 2014, but in October 2016 the airline was banned by the government, citing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2270. 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. 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. 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.

Destinations

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

Notes

1. Korean: 고려항공; Hancha: 高麗航空; MR: Koryŏ Hanggong
2. Korean: 소련-조선항공; Hancha: 蘇聯-朝鮮航空; MR: Solyŏn-josŏnhang-gong
3. Korean: 조선민항; Hancha: 朝鮮民航; MR: Josŏnminhang
4. ^ Due to sanctions against North Korea.

References

1. "North Korea's Air Koryo makes first international flight since COVID". Aljazeera.com. 22 August 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
2. Zwirko, Colin (29 September 2021). "Kim Jong Un suggests restoring inter-Korean hotlines in early October". NK News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
3. ^ Davies, R. E. G. (1997). "North Korean Airline". Airlines of Asia: Since 1920. London: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 534. ISBN 978-0-85177-855-6. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
4. "World Airlines Survey". Flight International. 13 April 1961. p. 512. Archived from the original on 9 August 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via FlightGlobal Archive.
5. ^ "North Korea's Air Koryo makes maiden landing at KLIA". The Star. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
6. ^ Lee, Jenny (25 January 2017). "UN: North Korean Airline Facing Growing Restrictions". Washington, D.C.: Voice of America. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
7. "North's Air Koryo cancels service to Kuwait City". Korea JoongAng Daily. Yonhap News Agency. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
8. OCarroll, Chad (27 March 2014). "North Korea's Air Koryo resumes Pyongyang - Kuwait service". NK News. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
9. ^ Macdonald, Hamish (25 October 2016). "Air Koryo no longer permitted to operate Pyongyang-Kuwait route". NK News. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
10. ^ "North Korea's Air Koryo to begin direct flights to Macau". The Jakarta Post. Hong Kong. Agence France-Presse. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
11. ^ Chung, Ester (6 September 2019). "Air Koryo flights appear halted after brief resumption". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
12. ^ Patrick, Holly (22 August 2023). "Watch: North Korea's first international commercial flight in three years". The Independent. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
13. ^ "Welcome to Air Koryo!". Air Koryo. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
14. ^ "1991 time table" (in Korean). Air Koryo. 1991. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2010 – via timetableimages.com.
15. ^ "North Korea carrier Air Koryo seeks to update fleet with Russian airliners and extend flights to 'Axis of Evil' states". FlightGlobal. DVV Media Group. 29 August 2006. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
16. "N. Korea resumes flights to China's Dalian amid improving bilateral ties". The Korea Times. Dongwha Enterprise. Yonhap News Agency. 16 September 2018. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
17. ^ Maierbrugger, Arno (2014). Reiseführer Nordkorea: Geschichte, Kultur, Sehenswürdigkeiten [North Korea Guide: History, Culture, Sights] (in German). Berlin: Trescher Verlag. p. 27. ISBN 9783897944015. OCLC 1003864924.
18. O'Carroll, Chad (22 March 2017). "Air Koryo to start twice weekly Pyongyang-Dandong flights". NK News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
19. Pearson, James; Wong, Sue-Lin (21 April 2017). "Colas, cigarettes: North Korea airline diversifies as threats mount of sanctions". The Japan Times. Pyongyang & Seoul. Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
20. "Air Koryo suspends 'Pyongyang-Dandong' route". Daily NK. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
21. First regular flight from Shanghai to NKorea leaves (Videotape) (in English and Chinese). AP Archive. 30 July 2015 . Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023 – via YouTube.
22. ^ "Destinations". Air Koryo. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
23. Liu, Jim (7 July 2011). "2000: Air Koryo Network". Routes. Aviation Week Network. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
24. Zwirko, Colin (17 May 2018). "Air Koryo to begin weekly Pyongyang-Wonsan flights in June: state media". NK News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
25. "Air Koryo W11 Operation". Routes. Aviation Week Network. 7 November 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.

• Lists of airline destinations
• North Korea transport-related lists