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Russia and North Korea open first road link across border
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Russia and North Korea inaugurated their first road bridge over the Tumen River, creating a new physical link between the two countries to enhance cooperation and trade.
- The 1-kilometer, two-lane bridge connects North Korea’s Rason and Russia’s Khasan, allowing up to 300 vehicles daily, and was named after Soviet officer Yakov Novichenko, who protected North Korea’s founder from assassination.
- The bridge is expected to boost economic, technological, scientific, and cultural cooperation, with leaders from both countries attending the opening ceremony via video link.
- Despite the new infrastructure, experts remain uncertain about the bridge's impact on significantly increasing trade, as North Korea’s trade remains overwhelmingly dominated by China.
- Concerns exist that the bridge could facilitate the movement of military equipment or goods violating U.N. sanctions, as vehicle traffic is harder to monitor than rail transport, although the bridge aims to supplement existing rail and air links.
