Russia unable to repatriate all N.Korean workers - Ifax cites ambassador

Russian efforts to repatriate all North Korean workers have been hampered by the coronavirus outbreak, the Interfax news agency cited Russia's ambassador to Pyongyang Alexander Matsegora as saying on Wednesday.

The complete closure of North Korea's borders meant workers in Russia have not been sent home, Matsegora said.

Russia in January said it missed a United Nations deadline to repatriate the workers due to what it called objective difficulties but said it was complying with U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang.