North Korea has reportedly completed all work on its side of a road bridge across the Tumen River, but the opening has been delayed because Russia has failed to finish access roads and related infrastructure on its bank, South Korean outlet Daily NK writes, citing a source in North Hamgyong province.
Pyongyang had insisted on opening the bridge by June 19, the second anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between North Korea and Russia. Despite tight deadlines and shortages of funding and materials, North Korea built customs and quarantine facilities, laid the bridge deck, and paved access roads. Ьore than two months after an April 21 ceremony linking the bridge spans, however, Russia still had not completed construction on its side.
“Our officials are beside themselves with frustration that the Tumen River bridge opening, which we pushed hard to achieve on the second anniversary of the Korea-Russia treaty, has been delayed due to Russia’s pathetic construction problems,” the outlet’s source in North Korea said.
In response, on June 19 the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea sent a directive to the Rason city party committee and the General Bureau of Border Security to revise the opening schedule and reorganize the border zone. North Korea estimates that it will take another year before all planned facilities are fully completed and regular traffic can begin to use the bridge.
Daily NK said the delay is further complicated by a diplomatic dispute. At a recent summit involving North Korean officials, China raised the issue of waterborne passage through the mouth of the Tumen River to the Sea of Japan. The new bridge’s low clearance is one obstacle, as it limits the movement of large ships. The source said Pyongyang is considering using the construction delay as leverage with Beijing to push for the opening of the Sinuiju-Dandong bridge over the Yalu River, which has been completed but has remained closed for years.
The bridge over the Tumen River is intended to connect North Korea’s Rason with Khasan in Russia’s Primorsky Krai. It would be the first road crossing between the countries, supplementing the existing rail link. It is expected to significantly increase freight traffic between North Korea and Russia, reduce Pyongyang’s dependence on rail transport, and expand people-to-people contacts.
Satellite analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated in November 2025 that the bridge and related infrastructure were expected to open in the first quarter of 2026, but that deadline was later pushed back.
