North Korea and Russia have begun constructing the primary highway bridge linking them throughout their river border, each governments stated on Thursday as they increase bilateral ties following the deployment of North Korean troops and weapons to assist Russia’s struggle in opposition to Ukraine.
The 2 international locations held a simultaneous groundbreaking ceremony for the two-lane bridge on their respective sides of the border on Wednesday, based on their state media. They at present have a cross-border railway hyperlink.
“It is a massive milestone for Russian-Korean relations,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin of Russia stated when he talked along with his North Korean counterpart, Pak Thae-song, by a video hyperlink on Wednesday, based on the Russian information company Tass.
Mr. Pak stated that the brand new bridge would mark “a historic monument” to the efforts by North Korea’s chief, Kim Jong-un, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to deepen bilateral relations, the North’s official Korean Central Information Company stated.
The brand new bridge can be a little bit over a half-mile lengthy, and its building is anticipated to take 18 months, based on Russian state media. When the bridge is accomplished, it should assist increase passenger and business site visitors, in addition to tourism, the North’s state media stated.
North Korea and Russia, whose relations had cooled within the post-Chilly Battle many years, have reinvigorated their ties since 2023, when North Korea began supplying Russia with artillery shells, ballistic missiles and different standard weapons to assist assist its struggle in opposition to Ukraine.
When Mr. Putin visited Pyongyang final June, the 2 international locations signed a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership, which referred to as for mutual protection and financial and different cooperation. Throughout that go to, they agreed to assemble a bridge for vehicles over the Tumen River, which runs alongside North Korea’s borders with Russia and China.
Later final yr, North Korea additionally started sending its troops to combat alongside Russian forces to assist them retake territories misplaced to Ukraine in its Kursk area.
On Monday, North Korea confirmed its troop deployment for the primary time, and Mr. Putin formally thanked the nation, promising to not overlook the sacrifices of the North Korean troopers.
North Korea has despatched 15,000 troops to Russia and suffered 4,700 casualties, together with 600 killed, whose our bodies have been cremated and repatriated to the North, South Korean intelligence officers informed Parliament this week.
In return, Russia has offered North Korea with air protection missiles, digital warfare gear, drones and spy satellite tv for pc applied sciences, they stated. Russia additionally imported 15,000 North Korean employees who earn money for Mr. Kim’s authorities, they stated.
When North Korea unveiled its greatest navy ship, which it referred to as a 5,000-ton destroyer, final week, analysts stated it was fitted with numerous weapons techniques, a few of which appeared to have been constructed with Russian assist. On Wednesday, North Korea stated Mr. Kim watched the check launch of missiles from the ship earlier this week.
