Pyongyang: North Korea and Russia held a ceremony to commemorate the linking of a cross-border road bridge over the Tumen River, signaling a new phase in their infrastructure collaboration. The Russian Embassy in North Korea announced that the bridge is slated for completion by mid-June.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the construction of the bridge commenced in April after a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 in Pyongyang. The ceremonial event was attended virtually by Russian Transport Minister Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin and Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov, who co-chairs the bilateral committee on trade and economic cooperation, as shared on the embassy's Telegram channel.

The embassy further detailed that the bridge is expected to be fully completed on June 19. In a separate statement, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasized the bridge's role in strengthening friendly ties with North Korea and symbolizing the countries' desire to enhance regional cooperation. She noted that the bridge will facilitate productive dialogue and exchanges between the two nations.

Currently, the only existing connection between North Korea and Russia over the Tumen River is a rail bridge. The development of this road bridge coincides with a period of increased cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, particularly following North Korea's military support for Russia in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.