Russia, North Korea Open First Road Bridge Across Tumen River

Russia and North Korea opened their first road bridge across the Tumen River on Monday, September 8, linking Russia’s Primorye region directly with the neighboring country.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae-song participated in the opening ceremony via video link. Mishustin described the bridge as a new symbol of friendship and stated that relations between the two countries are at an unprecedented level of comprehensive strategic partnership. Pak Thae-song called the project a historical event and a monumental structure embodying traditional Russian-Korean friendship.

The bridge, including access roads, is 5 kilometers long, with the bridge itself approximately 1 kilometer. It was completed in 495 days, with construction beginning in spring 2025 after an agreement was signed in June 2024 during Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea. The crossing is designed to accommodate up to 300 vehicles daily and is intended for personnel exchanges, tourism and trade, initially for cargo before opening to passenger traffic.

The Ukrainian investigative organization Truth Hounds claimed the bridge is intended primarily to establish a covert military logistics corridor to support Russia in the Ukraine war. The bridge is named the Yakov Novichenko Bridge. Previously, the only land connection between the two countries was a railway bridge and air service.