Russia’s ambassador to North Korea says the two countries are eyeing the establishment of a “direct rail service,” among other transportation links, as the first group of Russian tourists in years returned from the DPRK on Monday.

“The DPRK is interested in expanding bilateral transportation infrastructure,” Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with the Russian state agency RIA over the weekend, mentioning rail services, as well as a ferry route and highway bridge.  

He said Moscow and Pyongyang want to establish a “direct rail service” between Pyongyang and Russia’s Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk and between the two countries’ capitals.