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3mo ago

Russia and North Korea Begin Construction of First Road Bridge Linking the Two Nations

The 850-meter bridge across the Tumen River is set to enhance trade, tourism, and military cooperation, with completion expected by mid-2026.

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This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on May 1, 2025, shows a ceremony to launch the construction of a road bridge linking North Korea and Russia held in their respective border cities of Rason and Khasan the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Russian and North Korean flags fly at the Vostochny Сosmodrome, the venue of the meeting between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, September 13, 2023. Sputnik/Artem Geodakyan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • Construction of the first-ever road bridge between Russia and North Korea has officially begun, following a groundbreaking ceremony held via video link in their respective border cities of Khasan and Rason.
  • The bridge project, agreed upon during a 2024 summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, will span 850 meters and connect to the Russian highway system, supplementing the existing 1959 rail bridge.
  • Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song hailed the bridge as a significant step in deepening their strategic partnership and boosting economic integration.
  • The bridge is expected to facilitate cross-border trade, tourism, and the movement of goods and people, while also potentially expediting military logistics between the two nations.
  • South Korean intelligence reports that approximately 600 North Korean troops have died fighting for Russia in Ukraine, highlighting the growing military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang.