China-North Korea Bridge to Open Oct 15: Xinhua — SkimNews
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- New Yalu River Bridge will open Oct 15, a four-lane, 3,026m vehicle bridge linking China's Dandong to North Korea, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua
- China completed its side of the bridge in 2014, but North Korea left its approach roads and customs facilities unfinished amid tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear tests and subsequent UN sanctions
- The opening comes weeks after North Korea opened its first road bridge with Russia; analyst Ahn Chan-il told AFP the new China crossing could see 'hundreds of vehicles' daily, giving NK's economy a 'significant boost'
- China's exports to North Korea hit a six-year high of US$2.3 billion last year, a 25% year-on-year increase, though still well below pre-2017 sanctions levels
- South Korea's unification ministry told AFP it is 'closely monitoring' the bridge's opening
- Train journeys between China and North Korea restarted in March after a six-year COVID-era halt, though North Korea has not yet resumed issuing tourism visas to Chinese citizens
Why it matters: For North Korea, the new bridge offers a civilian-economy conduit with its largest trading partner, China, whose exports to Pyongyang hit a six-year high of $2.3 billion last year. South Korea's 'closely monitoring' stance signals diplomatic unease in Seoul over deepening Beijing-Pyongyang ties as Pyongyang simultaneously opens a separate bridge with Moscow.
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