North Korea and Russia celebrate the completion of a cross-border land bridge and its opening in mid-June

North Korea and Russia held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the completion of a land bridge link between the two countries over the Tumen border river, South Korean Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Russian embassy in Pyongyang.

The works are scheduled to be fully completed around mid-June.

The two countries began building this bridge after a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 in the capital, Pyongyang.

According to the Russian Embassy’s channel on the “Telegram” application, the linking ceremony took place in the border region in the virtual presence of the Russian Minister of Transport, Andrei Sergeevich Nikitin, and the Minister of Natural Resources, Alexander Kozlov, who is the Russian Chairman of the Joint Committee for Trade and Economic Cooperation between the two countries.

The embassy explained that the bridge is likely to be finally completed on June 19.

For her part, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, in a separate statement, described the bridge as “strengthening the bonds of friendship with North Korea” and symbolizing “the two neighbors’ desire to expand regional cooperation,” considering that it will advance dialogue and fruitful exchange between them.