North Korea and Russia are expected to resume the operation of passenger trains linking the North's border city of Rason and Russia's Primorsky Krai region that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On his social media channel on Monday, Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako said passenger trains connecting Rason and Vladivostok are set to resume, and that relevant details were discussed at a meeting with Sin Chang-il, chairman of the Rason Municipal People's Committee.

The North's state media reported on Sunday that a North Korean delegation headed by Sin had departed for the Primorsky Krai region via train.

An official from Seoul's unification ministry said on Tuesday that the ministry currently cannot verify anything regarding the resumption of train services, adding that it is keeping an eye out for any developments.

It is speculated that should Pyongyang and Moscow resume the passenger trains, the former may actively use them to dispatch North Korean workers to Russia.