Russia and North Korea inaugurated the first road bridge connecting the two countries

The inauguration ceremony of the road bridge across the Tumen River on the Russia-North Korea border took place on September 7, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae-song attended the event online.

The work is named after Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet Red Army officer who was awarded the title of Hero of Labor by North Korea. The total length of the bridge and path is nearly 5 km, of which the bridge part is about 1 km long. The bridge has 2 lanes for vehicles.

This project is located near Friendship Bridge, a railway bridge that was put into use in 1959 after the Korean War but is currently not enough to meet transportation needs. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that this road bridge will promote the development of relations between the two countries in many fields, including tourism, and create more jobs.

"I firmly believe that the expansion of cross-border transport infrastructure will create a strong impetus for the continued development of trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation," Mr. Mishustin said.

The plan to build the road bridge was agreed upon during President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea in 2024. In April 2025, Mr. Mishustin and Mr. Pak Thae-song officially started the project.

In parallel with that, the Khasan international land border gate was also built, with a 10-lane design. According to the Russian Government Press Office, when operating at full capacity, the border gate can serve 300 vehicles and more than 2,300 people per day, and this capacity can continue to be increased.

Russia and North Korea also have direct air and rail connections between Moscow and Pyongyang.