North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in China’s border city of Dandong on Saturday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. The trip followed the official opening of a major new bridge connecting the two neighbouring countries.
Kim crossed into Dandong earlier in the day via the New Yalu River Bridge, Yonhap reported, citing an unidentified government source. China’s foreign ministry was contacted for confirmation.
The four-lane bridge was completed in 2014. Its opening was delayed for twelve years due to a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side, South Korean media reported.
China serves as North Korea’s largest trading partner and provides vital economic, political and diplomatic support for Pyongyang. Kim hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang in June, following summits Xi held in Beijing with foreign leaders.
Official statements from Pyongyang and Beijing made no mention of North Korean denuclearization during that period. Experts interpreted the omission as a sign of China’s tacit consent regarding the atomic arsenal.
Kim’s visit coincides with preparations in Beijing for a political gathering of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. Top Chinese officials are scheduled to meet for the fifth plenary session on Monday.
The bridge opening comes shortly after North Korea and Russia inaugurated their first road bridge. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Pyongyang has emerged as a key Kremlin ally, sending troops to Moscow in exchange for military technology and economic benefits.
Hours prior to the report of Kim’s arrival in China, North Korean state media announced that their leader urged his military to train to become the strongest in the world. Kim made the call during a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang.
South Korea and North Korea remain technically at war because the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Seoul proposed military talks on Friday to clarify the border and restore communication channels following a Demilitarised Zone explosion that injured South Korean soldiers.
Seoul blamed the blast on North Korean land mines, a claim strongly rejected by Pyongyang. North Korea has not responded to the latest proposal for talks.
