Road Bridge Connecting Russia and North Korea Officially Joined

The two sides of a road bridge being built on the border between Russia and North Korea have officially been connected, a milestone that paves the way for opening the span that will facilitate trade between the two countries, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. "The construction of a road bridge on the border, which is underway in accordance with the agreements reached at the historic North Korea-Russia summit in Pyongyang, is an important undertaking aimed at providing a tangible guarantee for the establishment and strengthening of vital infrastructure for economic cooperation and the multifaceted development of bilateral relations, including the movement of people, tourism, and trade," the KCNA said. The agency noted that the bridge was joined less than a year after construction began and that the project will soon be completed. "This provides an opportunity to strengthen the friendship and good-neighborly relations between the peoples of the two countries, and to further expand and develop cooperation," KCNA said. According to the agency, North Korea and Russia are continuing efforts to complete and commission the bridge in the near future. The main span of the road bridge across the Tumen River was joined on April 21 at the border between Russia and North Korea. The crossing will be nearly five km long, with the bridge itself spanning one km, and will have two lanes. On the Russian side, 70 people and 30 pieces of equipment are involved in the construction. The bridge is scheduled to open in June 2026.