What did North Korea and Russia open across the Tumen River, and where was it opened?

They opened a new road bridge between Rason in North Korea and Khasan in Russia. KCNA said the bridge is meant to strengthen economic cooperation and wider exchanges between the two countries.

Why did North Korea and Russia build a new road bridge over the Tumen River?

The bridge is described as infrastructure to revitalize multifaceted cooperation, including human exchange, tourism and commodity circulation. KCNA said it also provides a guarantee for economic cooperation and the movement of vehicles and personnel.

How does the new bridge fit into North Korea and Russia ties?

The bridge came after the two countries began construction in April last year, following the June 2024 summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang. Mishustin said the relationship had reached an unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership, and the bridge comes amid deeper alignment after North Korea sent troops in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

N. Korea, Russia open 1st cross-border road bridge amid deepening ties

Listen

Summary

North Korea and Russia opened a new road bridge over the Tumen River in Rason and Khasan on Monday, with state media calling it key infrastructure for cooperation. The opening ceremony was virtually attended by North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The bridge is the first cross-border road link between the two countries and follows construction that began in April last year after the June 2024 Pyongyang summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin.

Key Facts

The bridge was named after Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet Red Army officer credited by KCNA with saving Kim Il-sung in 1946.
KCNA said the bridge will support safe passage for vehicles and personnel and help expand economic cooperation, human exchange, tourism and commodity circulation.
Until now, the only crossing between North Korea and Russia had been a rail bridge over the Tumen River.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 8, 2026 8:59 am KST
Updated Sep 8, 2026 10:18 am KST

An opening ceremony for a road bridge linking the North Korean border city of Rason and Russia's Khsan is held on Monday, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap

North Korea and Russia have opened a new road bridge over the Tumen River, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday, calling it key infrastructure to help "revitalize" multifaceted cooperation.

The opening ceremony took place the previous day in Rason in North Korea and Khasan in Russia, virtually attended by North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The construction began in April last year, following a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 in Pyongyang.

The bridge would "ensure the safe passage of various kinds of vehicles and personnel traffic," the KCNA said, offering "a guarantee for building up and reinforcing an important infrastructure for economic cooperation between the two countries and revitalizing multi-faceted cooperation including human exchange, tourism and commodity circulation."

Calling the bridge a "new symbol" of friendship between the two countries, Pak said it adds "a new dynamic movement to the overall bilateral cooperation."

The relations between the two countries "have been put on an unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership," Mishustin said, according to the report.

"Russia would as ever do its utmost for the multifaceted development of the bilateral relations," he added.

The bridge was named after Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet Red Army officer credited with saving the life of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung in 1946, according to the KCNA.

It reflects the two countries' "steadfast will of the leaderships and peoples of both countries to invariably develop the good-neighborly relations between the two peoples into genuine comradely relations of trust," the report said.

Until now, the only crossing between North Korea and Russia was a rail bridge over the Tumen River.

The new bridge comes as Pyongyang and Moscow have deepened their alignment since North Korea's troop deployment in support of Russia's war against Ukraine, raising concerns the new infrastructure could further boost military cooperation.

Explore More