North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in the border city of Dandong in China, traveling via a newly opened bridge, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, which cited a South Korean government source.
The journey on Saturday occurred roughly a week after the official opening of the bridge connecting both nations, coming 12 years after its construction was completed and bolstering economic relations between China and North Korea.
“Kim arrived in Dandong through the New Yalu River Bridge earlier in the day,” Yonhap reported.
According to South Korean media, the four-lane bridge was finished in 2014, but its opening was delayed for years because North Korea had not constructed the required customs facilities and connecting roads.
China is North Korea's primary trading partner and serves as a major source of political, economic, and diplomatic support for Pyongyang, though relations between the two countries have periodically experienced friction. Kim’s previous recorded trip to China took place in September 2025, when he attended 80th Victory Day celebrations in Beijing and held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi previously conducted a state visit to North Korea in June, reflecting a warming in bilateral relations.
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