The Latest: China says 36 died in North Korea traffic crash

BEIJING (AP) - The Latest on a deadly traffic accident in North Korea (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

China's foreign ministry says 32 Chinese citizens and four North Koreans have been killed in a traffic accident in southern North Korea.

Spokesman Lu Kang confirmed an earlier report from the ministry that said the accident occurred Sunday night in North Hwanghae province, south of Pyongyang, North Korea's capital.

Footage on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed the mangled wreckage of a bus in the dark with rain falling. Rescue vehicles were on the scene, and injured were shown being treated in hospital.

China and North Korea share a lengthy border. China is North Korea's largest trading partner, although commerce has dropped off by about 90 percent under United Nations sanctions.

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12:15 p.m.

China's foreign ministry says a large number of Chinese tourists have been killed and injured in a "major traffic accident" in North Korea.

The ministry says the crash occurred Sunday night in North Hwanghae province, south of the capital Pyongyang. Details on numbers of victims were not immediately given and Chinese diplomats reached in Pyongyang said they would issue a statement later.

Footage on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed the mangled wreckage of a bus in the dark with rain falling. Rescue vehicles were on the scene and injured were shown being treated in hospital.

China and North Korea share a lengthy border and China is North Korea's largest trading partner. Chinese tourists are among the largest groups of visitors to the isolated, hard-line communist state.