Russia and North Korea have opened the first road bridge across their shared border, a development that both countries said will boost their deepening ties. The bridge over the Tumen River opened on Monday, September 7.
Bridge details and capacity
The one-kilometre (0.6 mile) long bridge has two lanes to allow up to 300 vehicles a day to pass through a newly built border point, the Russian government said in a statement.
The countries, which are already served by a railway bridge and air service, agreed in 2024 to construct a bridge for automobiles over the Tumen River and construction began last year. The river runs along North Korea's borders with Russia and China.
Context and earlier tensions
North Korea is considered one of the most secretive and isolated countries in the world. Its citizens are not allowed to leave the country freely and foreign visitors are assigned government minders or escorts. Russia also maintains a high level of secrecy and strict state control.
The Express reported in June that North Korea was left furious after Russia failed to complete its side of a landmark road bridge. An unnamed source in North Hamgyong province said at the time that North Korea had been pushing aggressively to open the Tumen River automobile bridge by June 19, the second anniversary of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between North Korea and Russia.
Despite severe shortages of funds and materials over recent months, North Korea managed to complete all preparations on its side of the bridge, but the same could not be said for Russia, leaving the North Koreans increasingly frustrated.
Inauguration and official statements
The bridge links North Korea's Rason and Russia's Khasan, border cities of the two countries. Its inauguration ceremony took place simultaneously in the two cities. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song attended via video link.
"I am convinced that the expansion of transport infrastructure near the border will give a powerful boost to the further development of trade, economic, technological, scientific and cultural cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Mishustin said.
Pak said the bridge's completion is "a significant event adding a new dynamic movement to the overall bilateral cooperation," according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.
Broader ties and expected impact
Relations and exchange programs between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing. Kim Jong Un's country has supplied ammunition and troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for economic and military assistance. North Korea has been receiving Russian tourists since February 2024 amid slowly easing pandemic curbs.
KCNA said the bridge's opening would promote tourism, human exchange and commodity circulation between the two countries.
