North Korea: Russian diplomats leave by hand-pushed trolley

A group of Russian diplomats and their families made an unusual exit out of North Korea on a hand-pushed rail trolley due to strict Covid measures.

The eight people travelled by train and bus before pushing themselves across the Russian border for about 1km (0.6miles) over train tracks.

North Korea has blocked most passenger transport to limit the virus' spread.

The country maintains it has not had any confirmed cases, but observers dispute this claim.

Since early last year, trains and wagons have been forbidden to enter or leave the country. Most international passenger flights have stopped as well.

The Russian diplomats were thus left with little choice.

"Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Facebook post.

Photos shared by the ministry showed the diplomats on the trolley with their suitcases amid a wintry landscape. They were also seen cheering in a video as they crossed into Russia.