North Korea accused Russia of delaying the opening of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River. The Koreans have completed the work, and in the Russian Federation - long-term construction - Daily NK - The Insider

North Korea has completed all work on its side of the road bridge over the Tumannaya River, but the opening of the crossing has been delayed due to the fact that Russia did not have time to complete the access roads and related infrastructure on its bank. This was reported by the South Korean portal Daily NK, citing a source in North Hamgyong province.

Pyongyang insisted on opening the bridge by June 19, the second anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between North Korea and Russia, which Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin signed in June 2024. North Korea, in a short time and in conditions of a shortage of funds and materials, built customs quarantine facilities, laid the bridge deck and asphalted access roads. Russia, more than two months after the ceremony of joining the flights on April 21, has not completed construction on its side, and the exact date for the opening of traffic has not yet been determined. The source of the publication in the DPRK is indignant:

“Our officials are extremely disappointed that the opening of the bridge over the Tumannaya, which we sought for the second anniversary of the treaty between Korea and Russia, has been postponed due to Russia’s failed construction problems.”

In response, the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on June 19 sent a directive to the Rason City Party Committee and the General Border Security Administration to revise the opening schedule and reorganize the border zone. According to the North Korean side, it will take about another year until all planned facilities are fully completed and regular traffic begins.

As the newspaper notes, the delay is complicated by a diplomatic dispute. At a recent summit with the participation of the North Korean leadership, China raised the issue of the right of passage of ships through the mouth of the Tumannaya to the Sea of ​​Japan, which is hampered, among other things, by the insufficient height of the new bridge, which limits the passage of large ships. According to the source, Pyongyang is considering the possibility of using the construction delay as leverage on Beijing to achieve the opening of the Sinuiju-Dandong bridge over the Yalu, which was built but remains closed for years.

The bridge across Tumannaya should connect North Korean Rason with Russian Khasan in the Primorsky Territory and become the first road (in addition to the existing railway) crossing between the countries. It is expected to significantly increase freight traffic between the DPRK and Russia, reducing Pyongyang's dependence on rail transport, and expand human contacts between the countries.

A satellite analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated in November 2025 that the bridge and associated infrastructure were scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026—but that date has since been pushed back.