Kim Jong Un Reaches China Via Dandong: Yonhap — SkimNews
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- Kim Jong Un reportedly arrived in Dandong after crossing the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge from North Korea, marking his first visit to China in a year.
- New Yalu River Bridge opened earlier in October after more than a decade of delay, and Yonhap said Kim used it to arrive in Dandong.
- Yonhap cited an unidentified South Korean government source, while South Korea’s presidential office and Unification Ministry had not immediately confirmed the report and Chinese and North Korean state media had not reported the visit.
- Kim Jong Un spent years prioritizing Russia by sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, a move possibly tied to military and economic assistance.
- China remains North Korea’s traditional main ally and economic lifeline, and Kim has more recently sought to strengthen those ties after years of prioritizing Russia.
- Xi Jinping traveled to Pyongyang in June for a summit with Kim, expressing Beijing’s willingness to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology; Kim called China ties a top strategic priority.
- Kim Jong Un last visited Beijing in September 2025, meeting Xi and watching a military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders.
Why it matters: Kim’s reported return shifts the immediate focus of his foreign relations back toward China after years in which North Korea sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russia’s Ukraine war. The visit followed Xi’s June expression of willingness to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology, while Kim described China as a top strategic priority.
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