Air Koryo, North Korea’s national airline, will soon introduce direct flights to Macao.

Next month, North Korea's flagship carrier, Air Koryo, is set to begin non-stop flights to Macao, according to the local aviation authorities.

Macao will become the fourth international destination regularly serviced by Air Koryo, following flights to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok. These cities are much closer to North Korea, while Macao is situated near Hong Kong in southern China, as per the airline’s website.

Air Koryo is scheduled to operate flights to Macao twice a week starting August 2, according to the Macao Civil Aviation Authority.

Authorities in Macao have not disclosed the type of aircraft Air Koryo will use. It is believed that the North Korean airline operates only five different aircraft models for flights to China, as noted by Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours, a company specializing in North Korea travel for Western tourists.

In recent years, Macao has become one of Asia's top tourist spots, largely due to massive investments in its gaming sector. Like its neighbor Hong Kong, the city operates as a special administrative region and is the only place in China where gambling is permitted.

This new flight route will link the world’s top gambling hub in terms of revenue with one of the poorest nations globally by GDP.

The route may also be intended to serve the growing number of affluent, young elites in North Korea, who have prospered under Kim Jong Un’s rule and reside in what is now known as 'Pyonghattan.'

The new air link is likely to raise concerns among U.S. officials overseeing sanctions on North Korea, especially since Pyongyang has been accused of using Macao as a base for its covert activities abroad, related to its nuclear program.