North Korea and Russia opened their first road bridge on Monday, a structure spanning the Tumen River, which both sides herald as a significant step in their strategic partnership, reports BritPanorama.
This new bridge is situated near the existing “Friendship Bridge,” a rail link established in 1959 post-Korean War. Current transportation connections between Moscow and Pyongyang include direct air and rail services.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin remarked that the bridge is expected to enhance development in multiple sectors, including tourism, and facilitate job creation.
“I am convinced that the expansion of cross-border transport infrastructure will provide a powerful impetus for the further development of trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation,” Mishustin stated during the bridge’s inauguration ceremony via video link, as reported by TASS.
The construction of the bridge, which had been planned for years, commenced in April 2024 following an agreement reached during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea.
Relations between the two countries have strengthened since the onset of the war in Ukraine in 2022, with North Korea reportedly sending thousands of troops to assist Russia’s defense efforts in the Kursk region against a 2024 Ukrainian incursion.
