The operation of freight trains across the North Korea-China border has resumed nearly five months after it was put on hold amid COVID-19 infections in China’s border regions.

Yonhap News said on Monday that a train loaded with freight was observed crossing into the North's Sinuiju region at 7:43 a.m. after leaving China's northeastern Dandong region.

The freight trains running between the two communist allies were suspended on April 29 due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in Dandong.

Having implemented stringent border-closure measures early on to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the North had intermittently operated the freight trains between Sinuiju and Dandong before suspending it in September of 2020.

It was back in service in January but remained operational just for three months before it was once again suspended.