32 Chinese killed in N Korea bus crash

Thirty-two Chinese tourists have been killed in a road accident in North Korea, China’s foreign ministry said.

The accident happened on Sunday night, according to a statement published by the ministry on Monday morning, reports South China Morning Post.

“The Chinese embassy in North Korea was informed by [North Korea] that a serious traffic accident occurred in North Korea’s Hwanghae province at night, causing a serious number of deaths and injuries to Chinese tourists. Details are currently being verified,” the statement said.

The ministry later confirmed 32 were killed, without giving further details.

The ministry added that staff from the embassy went immediately to the scene.

Chinese state television has broadcast images of the crashed coach in North Korea and the injured receiving treatment in hospital.

China’s tourism authority does not publish a breakdown of the number of Chinese visitors to North Korea.

However, the number travelling from Dandong in the Chinese province of Liaoning rode to 580,000 in the second half of 2016, according to state-run China News Service.

Chinese tourists make up most of the tourists travelling to North Korea. 

North Hwanghae is in the south of North Korea and shares a border with South Korea on the demilitarised zone.