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Russia And North Korea Begin Construction Of New Road Bridge To Deepen Ties

Russia and North Korea have begun building a road bridge stretching 850 metres to link both countries and boost trade

Russia and North Korea have officially commenced construction of a new road bridge linking the two countries over the Tumen River, marking a symbolic and strategic step in strengthening bilateral relations. 

The announcement was made Wednesday during a ceremony attended by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The new bridge, stretching 850 metres (2,789 feet), will complement the existing “Friendship Bridge” — a rail link built in 1959 after the Korean War — and will connect directly to Russia’s highway system. Long discussed, the bridge’s construction was finalised during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea in 2024, and it is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant.

“The significance goes far beyond just an engineering task,” Mishustin said, according to state news agency TASS. “It symbolises our shared commitment to strengthening friendly, good-neighbourly relations and expanding inter-regional cooperation.”

Russian officials say the bridge will enable entrepreneurs from both nations to boost trade, reduce transportation costs, and stabilise the supply of goods. The initiative is also viewed as part of Moscow’s broader strategy to deepen ties with non-Western allies amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine and heightened tensions with the West.

The announcement came on the same day South Korean lawmakers cited intelligence reports indicating that approximately 600 North Korean troops have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, out of an estimated 15,000 deployed.

While both Pyongyang and Moscow have kept many details of their partnership opaque, infrastructure projects like the new bridge serve as concrete signs of growing strategic alignment between the two nations.

Melissa Enoch

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