First road bridge with Russia a sign of tighter ties, North Korea says

Published on

08/09/2026 - 9:35 GMT+2

North Korea called the first road bridge across its narrow border with Russia a concrete sign of tightening bonds, state media reported on Tuesday, as Pyongyang gains advantages from its powerful neighbours Moscow and Beijing.

The bridge over the Tumen river into Russia and an under-construction span to China are part of a shift that offers Western-sanctioned Pyongyang economic and strategic options it has long sought, experts said.

North Korea "will simultaneously secure two major overland routes linking it with Russia and China, allowing it to encourage competition between the two countries and maximise its gains," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University.