GenZ Desk
Russia’s national postal service has brought back regular mail deliveries to North Korea after a six-year pause triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic — proving that some diplomatic routes can reopen one envelope at a time.
Ordinary North Koreans do not have access to the global internet or international email. Instead, they use Kwangmyong, a state-controlled national intranet launched in the early 2000s that offers domestic websites, news, educational content and an internal email system, but cannot reach addresses outside the country.
Russian Post restarted parcel deliveries to North Korea in June 2025 and has now expanded the service to letters, postcards, printed material and specialised materials for visually impaired recipients, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday. North Korea has also resumed postal services to China.
Packages weighing up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds) are expected to reach North Korea within 15 days, according to Interfax.
The mail will first travel to Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East before being flown to Pyongyang by a partner North Korean airline.
Russian Post said last year that Russians commonly send clothing, footwear, documents, books and non-perishable food items such as tea, coffee, grains, dried fruits, nuts and canned goods to North Korea.
The restoration of the postal link comes as Moscow continues rebuilding international mail connections. Russian Post also resumed mail and parcel deliveries to the United States this summer after a suspension following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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