Kim Crosses New Bridge to Dandong

Kim Jong-un traveled to the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, using the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge. This marked his first trip to China since September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. It is his sixth visit to the country in total.

The 3km bridge opened in mid-October, ending a 12-year wait for its full use. China completed construction years ago, but delays on the North Korean side held up the opening until now. With this link, Pyongyang now has direct road access to both China and Russia, after the two countries opened their own border crossing in early September.

Kim met with Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of China's Communist party. The two officials toured a car factory and pledged to deepen their relationship. Xinhua news agency quoted Kim saying North Korea stands ready to work with China to carry forward their historical friendship and expand practical cooperation, delivering tangible benefits to both peoples.

Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge to see him off. The timing of the visit appears designed to reinforce Pyongyang's alliance with Beijing ahead of the October 25 anniversary of China's first major victory in the Korean war. That battle occurred in 1950, shortly after Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea.

Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that traffic controls were placed around the bridge and a nearby war museum. Hotel bookings in the area were also restricted. Diplomatic sources told the agency these measures were tied to the visit by the senior North Korean official.

Relations with South Korea have deteriorated in recent weeks. Kim Yo Jong, Kim's sister, 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 continues about a potential meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Xi Jinping will host 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 such a meeting occurring this year.