Opening of a new land bridge linking Russia and North Korea

The Prime Ministers of the two countries, Mikhail Mishustin and Pak Tae-sung, gave, via video technology today, the signal to start movement on the bridge, which was named in honor of Yakov Novichenko, a Red Army officer and hero of labor in North Korea.

During the transportation artery launching ceremony, Mishustin expressed his thanks to the teams that participated in implementing the project, and said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the workers, engineers, builders, designers, and to all the teams that participated in the major construction work, and contributed with their sincere efforts and professionalism to the completion of this joint work.”

It is noteworthy that the agreement to implement the project was signed in 2024 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and in April 2025, Mishustin and Pak Tae-sung gave the signal to begin construction work.

In addition to the new bridge, there is a railway bridge, but it was not sufficient to meet transportation needs in the past. The new bridge will allow continuous land movement throughout the year, which will enable businessmen to significantly increase shipping volumes, reduce logistical costs, and ensure stable and reliable supplies of various products, thus contributing to expanding economic cooperation between the two countries.

The bridge is about five kilometers long and includes two lanes designated for cars. A new ground checkpoint was also built in the Khasan area on the border, including ten traffic lanes. The Russian government expects that, after reaching its maximum capacity, the checkpoint will be able to accommodate 300 vehicles and more than 2,300 people per day, with the possibility of increasing these numbers in the future.