Russia and North Korea have opened the first road bridge across the Tumen River, a development Russian officials say will boost trade and ties between the two countries. The 1-kilometer bridge, with two lanes and a capacity of up to 300 vehicles daily, connects Russia’s Primorye region directly with North Korea. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin participated in the opening ceremony via video link, stating he was “convinced that the expansion of transport infrastructure…will give a powerful boost” to cooperation. Construction began in April 2025 following a 2024 agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, adding to existing rail and air links.
The new crossing, stretching 4.7 km including access roads, features a 424-meter Russian section and a 581-meter North Korean section. The first vehicle to cross was a restored red ZAZ-968M Zaporozhets, once owned by Soviet officer Yakov Novichenko, who shielded Kim Il Sung from a grenade in 1946. His grandson drove the vehicle across the bridge, named in Novichenko’s honor. A new Khasan road checkpoint with ten traffic lanes has also been built, designed to process up to 2,850 people per day at full capacity.
This development comes amid deepening relations between Russia and North Korea, with North Korea supplying ammunition and troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine and receiving Russian tourists since February 2024. Russian officials anticipate the road link will cut transport costs and increase bilateral trade. No right-leaning outlet reported this story.
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