North Korea has officially reopened its borders to citizens residing abroad after they were closed for nearly four years, state media announced Sunday in the first announcement on the matter to domestic readers.

“DPRK citizens abroad have been allowed to return home, according to the decision of the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters (SEEPH) of the DPRK to adjust the anti-epidemic degree in reference to the eased worldwide pandemic situation,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The announcement was reported on Sunday and dated Saturday.

“Those returned will be put under proper medical observation at quarantine wards for a