Ruth Haines
North Korea's main airport is Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, which has two terminals, one for domestic flights and one for international. The state carrier, Air Koryo, is the only commercial airline in North Korea, and it operates from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Air Koryo is state-owned and controlled by the North Korean air force, and it operates flights on behalf of the North Korean government, including for Kim Jong-un's personal use. Air Koryo flies to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok, and previously flew to Kuala Lumpur, Harbin, Macao, Shanghai, and Kuwait City. In addition to Air Koryo, other airlines that have flown to North Korea include Air China, Korean Air, and Asiana Airlines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of usable airfields | 78 |
| State carrier | Air Koryo |
| Commercial airline | Air Koryo |
| Air Koryo headquarters | Sunan-guyok, Pyongyang |
| Air Koryo international routes | Beijing, Shenyang, Vladivostok, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Moscow, Berlin, Sofia, Harbin |
| Air Koryo domestic routes | Pyongyang-Hicheon Expressway |
| Air Koryo fleet | Ilyushin, Tupolev, Antonovs |
| Pyongyang International Airport terminals | 2 |
| Pyongyang International Airport amenities | Duty-free store, coffee bar, newsstand, internet room, snack bar, pharmacy, CD/DVD shop, electronics shop |
| Pyongyang International Airport's distance from the city | 25 kilometres |
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What You'll Learn
- Air Koryo: North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline
- Pyongyang Sunan International Airport: North Korea's hub for international flights
- Military use: Most airfields in North Korea are used for military purposes
- International standards: North Korea has a program to upgrade airports to international standards
- Historical uses: The airport was occupied by UN forces during the Korean War
Air Koryo: North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline
Air Koryo is North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline. It is state-owned and controlled by the North Korean air force. The airline is headquartered in Sunan-guyok, Pyongyang, and operates from its hub at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport.
Air Koryo's history can be traced back to the founding of the Soviet–North Korean Airline (SOKAO) in 1950. Following the Korean War, in 1955, the airline was reorganized as Korean Airways and started domestic and international routes to other communist Eastern Bloc states in Asia and Europe. The airline's fleet consists of Ilyushin and Tupolev aircraft from the Soviet Union and Russia, and Antonovs from Ukraine.
The airline operates domestic and international routes, with regular flights to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok. It also operates flights on behalf of the North Korean government, with one of its aircraft serving as North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un's personal plane.
During the rule of Kim Jong Un, Air Koryo has started branching out into commercial sectors beyond aviation, such as ground transportation and consumer goods. The airline was added to the list of air carriers banned in the European Union in 2006 due to safety and maintenance concerns.
Air Koryo's in-flight services include meals, with the main course being the "Koryo Burger", and in-flight entertainment on overhead monitors, including Air Koryo safety videos, DPRK-approved dramas, and performances of girl groups.
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Pyongyang Sunan International Airport: North Korea's hub for international flights
North Korea is a country in East Asia that has as many as 78 usable airfields, although the state's secrecy makes it difficult to confirm their number and condition. With the exception of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, commercial aviation in North Korea is practically non-existent, and most airfields appear to be for military use.
Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, also known as Pyongyang International Airport, is North Korea's hub for international flights. The airport is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the country's capital, Pyongyang, and is the base of North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline, Air Koryo. The airline is state-owned and controlled by the North Korean Air Force, operating domestic and international routes.
Historically, Air Koryo has offered regular flights to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok. In 2011, the airline expanded its services to include Kuala Lumpur and Kuwait City, although these routes were later cancelled due to various reasons. In 2017, Air Koryo resumed flights to Beijing and Vladivostok, which were temporarily suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pyongyang Sunan International Airport has two passenger terminals. Terminal 1, which handles domestic flights, opened in January 2016 and is connected to Terminal 2, the international terminal, which was inaugurated in July 2015. Terminal 2 features modern amenities and facilities, including jet bridges, check-in counters, a duty-free store, coffee bar, newsstand, and an Internet room.
In addition to Air Koryo, other airlines such as Air China, Korean Air, and Asiana Airlines have provided chartered flight services to and from Pyongyang, although these services have been intermittent and subject to political and diplomatic factors.
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Military use: Most airfields in North Korea are used for military purposes
North Korea is a country in East Asia with as many as 78 usable airfields. However, the state's secrecy makes it difficult to determine the exact number and condition of these airfields. Commercial aviation in North Korea is almost non-existent outside of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport and a few other airports that receive irregular service by Air Koryo, the state carrier.
Most of the airfields in North Korea are used for military purposes. These airfields are often widened sections of highways that serve as emergency or backup landing strips. They may not be able to support regular aviation operations.
Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, also known as Pyongyang International Airport, is the main international airport serving Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The airport has two passenger terminals, with Terminal 1 handling domestic flights and Terminal 2 serving as the international terminal. Terminal 2 offers amenities such as a duty-free store, coffee bar, newsstand, snack bar, pharmacy, and an electronics shop. The airport has two runways and has been used for missile launches by North Korea on at least one occasion in 2017.
During the Korean War, the airport was occupied by United Nations forces for seven weeks in 1950, during which time they flew in significant amounts of supplies. The airport has also been the site of several aircraft hijackings, with incidents occurring in 1958, 1970, and 2006.
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International standards: North Korea has a program to upgrade airports to international standards
North Korea has proclaimed a program to upgrade several airports to international standards. The state carrier, Air Koryo, joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the late 1990s. However, commercial aviation in North Korea is almost non-existent outside of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport and a few airports that receive irregular Air Koryo service. Most airfields are used for military purposes and are little more than widened sections of highway for emergency or backup use.
Pyongyang Sunan International Airport is North Korea's primary international airport. It has two passenger terminals, with Terminal 2 serving international flights. The airport was occupied by United Nations forces during the Korean War in 1950, and after an armistice was signed, the North Korean government began repairing and expanding it. In the 1980s, the Soviet airline Aeroflot flew to Moscow and Khabarovsk from the airport, and in the 1990s, Air Koryo provided nonstop flights to Moscow, continuing on to Berlin and Sofia. During the 1989 13th World Festival of Youth and Students held in Pyongyang, a temporary terminal building was erected to accommodate international arrivals.
In 2008, Air China resumed service to Beijing, but this was suspended in 2017 due to a lack of demand. Air Koryo, Korean Air, and Asiana Airlines also provided chartered flight services to Seoul and Yangyang in South Korea, but these were halted after South Korea ended the Sunshine Policy in 2008. In 2011, an interim facility handling international flights was built south of the existing terminal, and in 2012, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the construction of a new terminal, control tower, and VIP terminal. The airport was closed to international travel in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened in 2023 with Air Koryo flights to Beijing and Vladivostok.
Pyongyang International Airport offers various amenities, including a duty-free store, coffee bar, newsstand, internet room, snack bar, pharmacy, and electronics shop. In September 2016, a maintenance facility was constructed about one kilometre from runway 17/35, including aircraft hangars and apartments for high-ranking officials and Air Koryo employees.
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Historical uses: The airport was occupied by UN forces during the Korean War
The history of North Korea's airports is closely tied to the country's political landscape, which has been fraught with conflict and division. During the Korean War, Pyongyang International Airport, one of the major airports in North Korea, was occupied by United Nations forces for seven weeks in late 1950. This occupation was a strategic move as the UN forces flew large amounts of supplies to Sunan, located in the northwestern portion of North Korea.
The Korean War itself arose from the division of Korea, which had been a Japanese colony, into two occupation zones by the Soviet Union and the United States at the 38th parallel after World War II. The Soviet-backed North Korea, led by Kim Il-Sung, and the United States-backed South Korea, led by Syngman Rhee, both claimed legitimacy over the entire Korean peninsula. This led to border clashes and the eventual invasion of South Korea by the North Korean army on June 25, 1950.
During the Korean War, the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River meets the Yellow Sea, became known as ""MiG Alley"" due to the frequent dogfights between UN pilots and their opponents from North Korea and China. The Soviet-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 aircraft were predominantly flown by Russian pilots, who made up more than 90% of the aircrews. These pilots were highly experienced and utilised tight control tactics directed by ground controllers, giving them an advantage over the UN forces.
The UN forces, on the other hand, initially relied on World War II fighter units, such as the Gloster Meteor, before acquiring more advanced aircraft like the F-86 Sabre. Despite the efforts of the UN forces, they were driven out of the Kimpo area by a Communist offensive in January 1951. However, in March 1951, the first two Sabre squadrons returned to Korea, leading to intense air battles over MiG Alley.
Following the Korean War, Pyongyang International Airport underwent repairs and expansion by the North Korean government. Over the years, it has been served by various airlines, including Aeroflot, Air Koryo, and more recently, Air China. The airport has also been used for special events, such as the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, and as a launch site for a Hwasong-12 missile in 2017.
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Frequently asked questions
Terminal 2 of Pyongyang International Airport, which opened in 2015, is reserved for international civilian flights.
The airport is used by North Korea's flag carrier and only commercial airline, Air Koryo. It is also used by Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, and Air China for chartered flights.
Air Koryo operates scheduled flights to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok. It has also flown to Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Moscow, Berlin, and Sofia.
Yes, North Korea may have as many as 78 usable airfields, but due to the state's secrecy, the exact number and their conditions are uncertain. Most of these airfields appear to be for military use.
Yes, in 2017, there were indications that Air Koryo was branching out into sectors such as petrol stations, taxis, tobacco, soft drinks, and tinned pheasant meat.
