Russia opens first street bridge with North Korea
Russia and North Korea on Monday lower the ribbon on the primary road bridge linking the two countries as Moscow and Pyongyang deepen their strategic partnership.
The crossing spans the Tumen River and marks one other enlargement of transport hyperlinks between the 2 international locations.
Where is the brand new bridge?
The street crossing is close to the present Friendship Bridge, a railway bridge commissioned in 1959 following the Korean War.
Russia and North Korea have already got direct rail and air connections, however till now there had been no street bridge between them.
The new bridge is called after Soviet Red Army officer Yakov Novichenko, who’s credited with saving North Korean founder Kim Il Sung’s life. Relatives of Novichenko attended the opening ceremony.
Construction started in April 2025 after the challenge was agreed throughout Russian President Vladimir Putin’s go to to North Korea in 2024.
Why is the street bridge being opened now?
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stated the brand new crossing ought to enhance financial improvement, tourism and employment.
“I’m satisfied that the enlargement of cross-border transport roads will present a strong impetus for the additional improvement of commerce, financial, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation,” the TASS information company quoted Mishustin as saying by video hyperlink on the opening ceremony.
Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened considerably since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk area to assist Russian forces repel a Ukrainian incursion launched in 2024.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
