Kim Jong-un crosses new bridge to Dandong

North Korea and China share a long border, but their leaders rarely cross it by road. On Saturday, Kim Jong-un used a newly finished crossing to travel from Pyongyang to Dandong, marking a concrete shift in how the two states conduct their diplomacy.

The trip began with the formal opening of the New Yalu River Bridge. According to South Korea's unification ministry and China's Xinhua news agency, Kim arrived in Dandong after crossing this specific structure. The 3km span had been stalled for 12 years due to delays on the North Korean side before opening in mid-October. It provides a direct road link that bypasses older, more congested routes.

Once in Dandong, Kim met Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of China's Communist party. The two men toured a local car factory together. During the visit, Kim stated that North Korea is ready to work with China to carry forward their historical friendship and expand practical cooperation. He emphasized that these efforts should deliver tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge for the departure, a detail reported by Xinhua.

The timing of the visit aligns with the October 25 anniversary of China's first major victory in the Korean War. That military win occurred days after Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River 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. Diplomatic sources told Kyodo these measures were tied to the visit by a senior North Korean official.

This infrastructure project follows a similar move earlier this year. In early September, North Korea and Russia opened the first road bridge across their short border. With the Yalu bridge now open, Pyongyang has direct road connections to both of its main geopolitical backers. This is Kim's sixth trip to China and his first since September 2025. He last attended a military parade in Beijing alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

While ties with Beijing appear to strengthen, relations with Seoul have deteriorated. Kim Yo Jong, the leader's sister, has issued approximately 10 statements criticizing Seoul since late September. South Korea's unification ministry described this frequency as unusual. She also announced plans to resume loudspeaker broadcasts at the border within days. These developments occur just weeks before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, scheduled for November 18 and 19.

Speculation has grown that Kim might meet Donald Trump at the summit. However, Reuters reported on Friday that US and South Korean officials see little chance of such a meeting happening this year. The new bridge stands as a physical symbol of the current alignment between Pyongyang and Beijing, regardless of future summits.