PYONGYANG -- The capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pyongyang and Northeast China's city of Dandong Tuesday opened a twice weekly charter flight.

About 50 passengers, mostly Chinese tourists and businessmen, flew in here on an Air Koryo plane from Dandong to the warm welcome of Pyongyang International Airport staff.

The opening of the charter flight will facilitate visits by Chinese tourists and businessmen to the DPRK and connect Pyongyang with Chinese cities after a stopover in Dandong, said tourist officials here.

Air Koryo has regular flights to Beijing and Shenyang, which is also in Northeast China. The charter flight to Dandong is its third flight line to China.

Dandong, located at the border with Northwest DPRK along the Yalu River,is a booming border town mainly engaged in border trade with the DPRK.