Overview
- Russian and North Korean leaders inaugurated a one-kilometre road bridge and a new Khassan checkpoint on Monday, 7 September 2026, which officials say is now operational.
- The checkpoint was built to handle about 300 vehicles and 2,325 people per day and the project was completed in roughly 16 months after its launch on 30 April 2025.
- This is the first non-rail land link between the two countries and complements the existing Soviet-era rail 'Friendship Bridge' that has carried trains and fiber optic cable.
- Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called the opening proof of an 'unprecedented' strategic partnership while North Korean official Pak Thae-song described the project as deepening Russo–Korean friendship.
- Analysts note the move follows closer Moscow–Pyongyang ties since 2022, including reported North Korean troop and equipment support to Russia and reciprocal Russian aid, and it could ease trade flows while raising questions about the route's use for military or sensitive transfers.