North Korea and Russia say they are close to opening an 850-metre road bridge across the Tumen River that will link into Russia’s highway network and aim to boost trade, tourism and travel. The project was agreed during President Putin’s 2024 visit and sections were joined in a recent ceremony. The Russian embassy in Pyongyang has indicated a planned completion date of June 19. Regional officials say the crossing would shorten travel between Vladivostok and Rason to 320 km and handle up to 300 cars a day.
North Korea and Russia Near Completion of 850m Tumen River Road Bridge — Russian Embassy Cites June 19 Target
FILE PHOTO: Officials attend a ground-breaking ceremony for a new road bridge spanning the Tumen River that will link North Korea to Russia in Rason Municipality, North Korea, April 30, 2025, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS/ File Photo
SEOUL, April 23 (Reuters) — North Korea and Russia say they are close to opening a new road bridge across the Tumen River that will directly link the two countries’ road networks, state media KCNA reported on Thursday. The project, started about a year ago, is presented by officials as a major boost to trade, tourism and people-to-people movement.
Bridge Details
The bridge is 850 metres (2,789 ft) long and will connect into Russia’s highway system. KCNA said construction began around a year ago and that the work was agreed during President Vladimir Putin’s 2024 visit to Pyongyang. Russian and North Korean officials held a ceremony this week to mark the joining of the bridge sections.
KCNA said an opening ceremony will be held soon but gave no date. The Russian embassy in Pyongyang posted on Telegram that the bridge is expected to be completed on June 19.
Strategic and Regional Context
The road bridge is being built near the existing rail "Friendship Bridge," commissioned in 1959 after the Korean War. Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Russia’s Primorsky Region, wrote on Telegram that the new crossing would boost trade, expand cultural and tourism ties, cut the distance between Vladivostok and the North Korean port city of Rason to 320 kilometres, and could handle up to 300 cars per day.
The announcement coincides with several visits by Russian delegations to North Korea. Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev met Jo Yong Won, chairman of the Standing Committee of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, in what KCNA described as a "favorable atmosphere." Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko attended a ceremony in Wonsan marking the construction of a hospital described by KCNA as a symbol of the countries’ friendship.
Broader Security and Diplomatic Ties
During President Putin’s 2024 visit, Russia and North Korea signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership treaty" that media reports say includes a mutual defence provision. KCNA and other outlets report that North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia’s western Kursk region following a major Ukrainian incursion. Meanwhile, China has been restoring cross-border links with North Korea; last month saw the resumption of the first passenger train service between China and North Korea after a six-year gap.
Sources: Reporting by Heejin Kim with additional reporting by Ronald Popeski; editing by Ed Davies. Statements from KCNA and the Russian embassy in Pyongyang were cited.
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