Who did Kim Jong-un meet during his October 2026 visit to Dandong, and what did they do together?

Kim met Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. They visited an automobile factory and a Korean War memorial, where they paid tribute to Chinese troops killed in the conflict.

Why did Kim Jong-un visit China just before the October 25 Korean War anniversary?

The visit came ahead of the anniversary observed by North Korea and China for Chinese troops’ participation in the 1950-53 Korean War. During talks, Kim thanked China for its longstanding support of North Korea’s socialist cause and voiced hope for expanding their historic friendship and practical cooperation.

How could the newly opened New Amnok River Bridge affect North Korea-China ties?

The bridge connects North Korea’s border city of Sinuiju with China’s Dandong and has the potential to strengthen economic ties between Pyongyang and Beijing. Its opening had been delayed for years because connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side were not completed.

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits China, meets senior official amid ties push

Listen

Summary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Chinese political adviser Wang Huning in Dandong, China, on Saturday after crossing the Amnok River via the newly opened New Amnok River Bridge. They visited an automobile factory and a Korean War memorial, where they paid tribute to Chinese troops killed in the conflict. Kim expressed gratitude for China’s support and hope for expanded friendship and practical cooperation. He returned home after the brief visit, a day before the countries’ Korean War anniversary observance.

Key Facts

Wang Huning is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The bridge linking Sinuiju and Dandong is four lanes wide, stretches 3,026 meters and was completed in 2014 with about $310 million in Chinese investment.
North Korea and China observe Oct. 25 as the anniversary of Chinese troops’ participation in the 1950-53 Korean War; the date marks their first combat against U.N. forces.
Kim last visited China in September 2025, and Saturday’s trip was his sixth visit to the country.
China is set to host an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen next month, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend; Trump has expressed hope for talks with Kim, while Pyongyang has not responded.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 24, 2026 3:31 pm KST
Updated Oct 24, 2026 9:39 pm KST

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at a meeting with military commanders, Pyongyang, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, Saturday. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited China on Saturday via a newly opened bridge linking the two countries and met with Beijing's top political adviser.

Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong after crossing the Amnok River, also known as the Yalu River in China, via the New Amnok River Bridge, according to government sources.

Kim met with Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's Xinhua News Agency reported.

The two visited an automobile factory in Dandong and a Korean War memorial, where they paid tribute to Chinese troops killed in the conflict.

During talks with Wang, Kim expressed gratitude for China's long-standing support for North Korea's socialist cause and voiced hope for expanding the two countries' historic friendship and practical cooperation to bring tangible benefits to their peoples, according to Xinhua.

Kim returned home after the brief visit, with Wang seeing him off, Xinhua reported.

Kim's China visit came a day before North Korea and China are set to celebrate the anniversary of Chinese troops' participation in the 1950-53 Korean War.

This file image from footage aired on March 23, by North Korea's Korean Central TV shows leader Kim Jong-un attending a session of its rubber-stamp parliament, Pyongyang. Yonhap

Pyongyang and Beijing have observed Oct. 25 as the anniversary of Chinese troops' participation in the Korean War to aid North Korea. The day marks Chinese soldiers' first combat against the U.N. forces.

His trip also followed the opening of the bridge last week, linking North Korea's border city of Sinuiju with China's Dandong, with potential to strengthen economic ties between Pyongyang and Beijing.

The four-lane bridge, stretching 3,026 meters, was completed in 2014 with an investment of about $310 million from China. Its opening had been delayed for years due to North Korea's failure, if not refusal, to complete building connecting roads and customs facilities on its side.

Kim last visited China in September 2025. Saturday's visit marked his sixth to China.

Next month, China is set to host a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Shenzhen, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend.

Trump has expressed hopes to hold talks with the North Korean leader, but Pyongyang has remained unresponsive.

Explore More