Russia and North Korea open first road bridge linking the two countries

Russia and North Korea have opened a bridge that connects them by road for the first time. The crossing spans the Tumen River in Russia’s Primorye region, whose capital is Vladivostok, and links the two countries across a border that stretches for only about 20 kilometers.

The bridge is just over one kilometer long. The Russian section measures 424 meters and the North Korean section 581 meters. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin joined the opening ceremony by video link and called the project “historic,” tying it to the need to expand logistics and transport capacity in Russia’s Far East.

Mishustin said up to 300 cars a day could cross the border. Construction began in April last year after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un approved the project in 2024. The bridge has been named after Yakov Novichenko, a Red Army officer who saved Kim Il-sung’s life during a grenade attack in 1946.

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historic

Until now, the countries had only a rail connection through the well-known Friendship Bridge. Both sides expect the new road route to boost trade and tourism. Mishustin said Russia and North Korea now have an unprecedented level of strategic partnership and cooperate across numerous areas, including regional security.

The opening comes as military and political ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have grown. Putin has thanked North Korea for military assistance in Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, saying Russia would “never forget” it. In mid-2024, he visited Pyongyang for the first time in 25 years and signed an agreement that included a mutual-defense clause in the event of aggression.

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never forget