Construction of first road link between North Korea and Russia begins – a new phase of friendship
North Korea and Russia have officially started building their first road connection between themselves. According to media sources of both countries, a new bridge is being built over the Tumen River which will connect the border towns of both countries. This project is being described as a “historic moment” which represents the growing relations between the two countries.
This bridge will be about 1 kilometer long and its construction will take about 1.5 years. Russia’s news agency Tass said that the bridge work has officially started on 30 April 2025. Whereas, North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that this bridge will further boost the movement of people’s goods and services, tourism and commodities.
New level of friendship
On Thursday, 1 May 2025, North Korea and Russia held ground-breaking ceremonies in their respective border cities. In this event, the top leaders of both the countries – North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin – participated via video link.
Prime Minister Pak called this project a “historic monument” which shows a new era of friendship between the two countries. Russian PM Mishustin also reacted to it and said, “This is a big milestone in Russia-North Korea relations. We are preparing a strong and reliable road connection between the two countries which will become the foundation of future cooperation.”
Means of connecting
Till now, a railway bridge and air service were available between North Korea and Russia. But now with the construction of the road link, their mutual exchange is going to increase even more. In June 2024, both countries decided to build an automobile bridge over the Tumen River – and now this work has officially started.
This river flows between the borders of North Korea, Russia and China, and is very important in terms of strategic value.
Changing military and arms relations
The construction of this bridge is not just an infrastructure project, but it also reflects the strategic military and political partnership of both countries. According to recent reports, North Korea has officially confirmed that it has sent combat troops to Russia so that it can strengthen its military operations against Ukraine.
North Korea has helped Russia recapture the Kursk region after Ukraine’s entry. On Monday, North Korea confirmed for the first time that its soldiers are fighting on the ground in Russia.
15,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia
According to an intelligence assessment by the South Korean government, North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia. About 4,700 of them have been killed or injured. These numbers show that North Korea has become not just a diplomatic friend of Russia, but also a military ally.
Help in exchange for arms and technology
In exchange for this military help, Russia has given North Korea a variety of modern defense tools. This includes air defense missiles, electronic warfare equipment, drones, and technology for spy satellite launches.
This exchange shows that both countries are now actively investing in each other’s strategic interests. This partnership can influence the geopolitics of the entire Asian region.
Thanks to Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also thanked North Korea for this military support. He promised that the sacrifices of North Korean soldiers will “never be forgotten.”
Putin’s statement deepens the relationship between Russia and North Korea, where on one side there is infrastructure cooperation and on the other side a military alliance is getting stronger.
What’s next?
After the completion of this road link, the ground transport route between North Korea and Russia will open up. This will further accelerate trade, tourism and diplomatic interaction. But it also has strategic implications – where Russia is embracing a new reliable partner amid sanctions from the West.
North Korea, which is isolated in many parts of the world, is taking a new geopolitical stance by increasing its ties with Russia.
This road bridge is not just a structure of concrete and steel, but a symbol of changing global alliances, where traditional foes have set out in search of new friends.
Is this bridge an indication of a new power axis in Asia? Time will tell.