New Yalu Bridge: Kim Visits Dandong for Historic Border Crossing
North Korea's leader crossed the new 3km structure on Saturday, meeting with Wang Huning to pledge deeper cooperation ahead of the Korean War anniversary.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Kim Jong-un arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday after crossing the New Yalu River Bridge. The trip marks the leader's first travel to the region since September 2025. He met with Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of China's Communist party, to discuss bilateral relations.
During the visit, the two men toured a local car factory. Wang later accompanied Kim to the bridge to see him off. Xinhua news agency reported that Kim stated North Korea is prepared to work with China to expand practical cooperation. He noted that this effort aims to deliver tangible benefits to the peoples of both nations.
The 3km bridge opened in mid-October. This followed a 12-year wait after China completed its side of the construction in 2014. Delays on the North Korean side previously stalled the project. The opening connects Pyongyang by road to Beijing, linking the two major backers of the North Korean regime.
The timing of the visit aligns with the upcoming October 25 anniversary of China's first major victory in the Korean War. That military success occurred in 1950, days after Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that traffic controls were implemented around the bridge and a nearby museum dedicated to the war. Hotel bookings in the area were also restricted.
Diplomatic sources cited by Kyodo indicated these measures were tied to the senior North Korean official's visit. This is Kim's sixth trip to China. His last visit was in September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese president Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Xi visited Pyongyang in June, marking his first trip there in seven years.
Relations between North and South Korea have deteriorated in recent months. 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.
Speculation has grown regarding a potential meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump. This follows President Xi's upcoming hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. However, Reuters reported on Friday that US and South Korean officials see little chance of a Kim-Trump meeting occurring this year.
