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North Korea and Russia open first road bridge across Tumen River
The 1 km two-lane bridge is expected to move up to 300 vehicles per day and could be fully operational by year-end, adding a proper road link to existing air and rail crossings.
North Korea and Russia opened their first road bridge across the Tumen River on Monday, a milestone both sides highlighted amid their deepening strategic partnership, according to Reuters via SCMP Economy.
The bridge spans about 1 km and is a two-lane crossing, with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song addressing workers and officials by video as the first flag-adorned trucks crossed.
Construction began in April 2025 after the project was agreed during President Vladimir Putin’s 2024 visit to North Korea, Reuters reported. Until Monday, the border crossing for vehicles relied on special arrangements using planks on a nearby rail bridge first set up in 1959.
Mishustin said cross-border infrastructure would provide momentum for trade and cooperation, and the Russian government said trucks would start using the route immediately. The bridge is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026 and could later support passenger traffic, with the crossing linked to Russia’s federal road network and a transport corridor running from Vladivostok to St Petersburg.