Kim Jong-un Crosses New 3km Bridge to China for Dandong Visit

North Korea now has a direct road link to China via a 3km bridge that opened in mid-October. This infrastructure project connects the two countries after a 12-year delay on the North Korean side, allowing Pyongyang to link its two main backers by road.

Construction on the China side finished a decade ago, but delays prevented the bridge from opening until recently. In early September, North Korea and Russia opened the first road bridge across their own border. This development means North Korea is now connected by land to both China and Russia.

Kim Jong-un arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday. According to South Korea's unification ministry and China's Xinhua news agency, he crossed the new bridge to reach the city. He met with Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of China's Communist party. The two men toured a local car factory and pledged to strengthen their bilateral relations.

Xinhua reported that Kim stated North Korea stands ready to work with China to carry forward their historical friendship and expand practical cooperation. He said this effort aims to deliver tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. Wang accompanied Kim back to the bridge to see him off, according to the agency.

The timing of the trip coincides with the 25 October anniversary of China's first major victory in the Korean war. That military success occurred days after Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea in October 1950. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that traffic controls were implemented around the bridge and a nearby war museum. Hotel bookings in the area were also restricted for a senior North Korean official's visit.

This is Kim's sixth trip to China and his first since September 2025. He previously attended a military parade in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi visited Pyongyang in June, marking his first trip there in seven years.

Relations with South Korea have deteriorated recently. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, has issued approximately 10 statements criticizing Seoul since late September. South Korea's unification ministry described this frequency of criticism as unusual. She also announced plans to resume loudspeaker broadcasts at the border within days.

President Xi is scheduled to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen on 18-19 November. This event has sparked speculation about a potential meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump. However, US and South Korean officials told Reuters on Friday that they see little chance of such a meeting occurring this year.