New Yalu River Bridge Set to Open After 12-Year Delay Between North Korea and China
The Yalu River Bridge, linking North Korea and China, will officially open after 12 years, boosting trade and travel between the two nations.
Seoul, October 14 (Daily Kiran) : The new Yalu River Bridge, connecting North Korea and China, is set to officially open to traffic after a delay of 12 years. The bridge will be inaugurated on Thursday, as reported by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, marking a significant step in enhancing trade and movement between the two countries.
Although construction was completed nearly 12 years ago, the bridge has remained unused until now. According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, the four-lane, 3,024-meter-long bridge links the northeastern Chinese city of Dandong with North Korea’s Sinuiju. Construction began in October 2011 and was finished by October 2014. However, delays in building access roads, customs offices, and other essential infrastructure on the North Korean side kept the bridge closed.
Recently, vehicles have been spotted traversing the bridge, sparking speculation about its imminent opening. The official inauguration is expected to foster increased trade and movement of people between the two nations.
The bridge opens at a time when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to strengthen bilateral relations during a meeting in Pyongyang in June. This new bridge will complement the existing Friendship Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1943 and has long served as a primary route for travel between the two countries. While the old bridge accommodates both rail and road traffic, it only allows vehicles to move in one direction at a time, limiting its capacity.
The opening of the new bridge is anticipated to reduce transit times for cross-border freight and alleviate pressure on the older route. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key provider of economic and diplomatic support.
