Russia and North Korea inaugurate first road bridge between the two countries

Russia and North Korea inaugurated this Monday (7) the first road bridge connecting the two countries. The inauguration of the road reflects the moment of closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, which have been strengthening since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae-song participated in an official inauguration ceremony for the new bridge remotely.

In a videoconference speech, the Russian Prime Minister stated that the new crossing will boost development in several areas, including tourism, in addition to creating new jobs.

According to the Russian Prime Minister, up to 300 vehicles per day will be able to cross the bridge. The construction is expected to increase freight and passenger traffic between Russia and North Korea and give a new impetus to economic cooperation between the two countries.

“I am convinced that the expansion of cross-border transport infrastructure will give a strong impetus to the development of trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation,” Mishustin said.

This is the first road bridge between Russia and North Korea. Previously, the only land connection between the two countries was by rail, through the Friendship Bridge. The new building is just over a kilometer long, and construction began at the end of April 2025.

The agreement to build a bridge over the Tumannaya River was signed in June 2024, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea. On that occasion, Russia and North Korea signed a broad strategic partnership agreement. This agreement served as the basis for sending North Korean soldiers to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine.

The new bridge is named after Red Army officer Yakov Tikhonovich Novichenko. In March 1946, Novichenko saved North Korean leader Kim Il-sung from an assassination attempt. He protected Kim Il-sung from a grenade thrown at him during a rally in Pyongyang with his own body. Novichenko was seriously injured but survived. North Korean authorities decorated him with the title “Hero of Labor,” which represents North Korea’s highest state honor.