North Korea is expected to open its border for a group of ethnic Koreans in Russia planning a road trip to South Korea to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Korean immigration to Russia. 
 
The organizing committee of the event said Friday that North Korea had given verbal consent to the border passage. 

The deputy chairman of the committee, Vasily Cho, said Friday that North Korea expressed its agreement through its embassy in Moscow. An official at the South Korean embassy in Russia also confirmed Cho’s statement, but said steps still need to be taken between the two Koreas in order for the group to travel through the military demarcation line (MDL).
 
If all goes as planned, roughly 30 ethnic Korean-Russians will make the trip in eleven vehicles starting July 7 in Moscow and ending in Busan. 

Moscow's Ministry for the Development of the Far East of Russia and the ethnic Korean association in Russia have been working on preparing the 150th anniversary event.