The first bridge connecting allies North Korea and Russia is nearing completion, satellite images analyzed by BBC Take a look at show.
It is the latest sign of closer relations between Pyongyang and Moscow, which has led North Korean troops to fight alongside Russian forces following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“This bridge will provide a useful route for transporting military goods and ammunition between North Korea and Russia,” explains Edward Howell of the Korea Foundation at the Chatham Residence think tank.
The new road over the Tumen River is located a few meters from the other bridge that connects both countries: a railway connection known as “The Bridge of Friendship.”
The latest satellite images show the kilometer-long bridge along with several new access roads, a border post, supporting infrastructure and parking areas.
Experts point out that the bridge will also become an important trade route between both countries.
The agreement to build the bridge was reached during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, when he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Construction began a year ago and the BBC has been using satellite images to track its progress.
The full cost of the bridge is believed to reach $120 million, according to Russian state media.
“The speed of construction is a reflection of the volume of commercial activity between both countries,” says Victor Cha, who belongs to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
“This is largely due to North Korea’s supply of troops, weapons, ammunition and manpower for Putin’s war in Ukraine,” he said.
A symbolic bridge
According to CSIS, Russian and North Korean drivers will apparently be expected to transfer trucks loaded with goods at the border crossing, as they will be prohibited from driving the vehicles beyond their respective territories.
The countries held a ceremony on April 21 to mark the joining of both sides of the bridge, and the Russian embassy in North Korea has said construction is scheduled to be completed on June 19.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the opening of the bridge “will become a truly historic stage in Russian-Korean relations. Its importance goes far beyond a purely engineering task.”
Rail traffic across the Friendship Bridge has remained high during construction of the highway bridge, while trade between the two countries has expanded, according to CSIS.
“It’s fair to say that this connection, before the war in Ukraine, was one of the least active links between North Korea and its two neighbors,” Cha said.
In addition to agreeing to build the bridge, Putin and Kim signed a historic agreement during the 2024 visit, pledging that Russia and North Korea would help each other in the event of “aggression” against either country.
According to South Korea, the North has sent about 15,000 troops to assist Russia in its invasion, along with missiles and long-range weapons.
Seoul also estimates that around 2,000 North Koreans have died in the conflict.
Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow have confirmed these figures, but Kim Jong Un and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov last week inaugurated a memorial in Pyongyang for North Koreans who have died fighting in the Ukraine war.
Belousov claimed he discussed long-term military cooperation with North Korean officials, according to Russian news agencies.
In exchange for providing soldiers and artillery, North Korea is believed to have received food, fuel and military technology from Russia.
“The construction of the bridge exemplifies how North Korea’s ties with Russia appear destined to continue beyond any end to the war in Ukraine,” Howell concluded.
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