Russia and North Korea on Wednesday launched construction of a road bridge between the two countries that will span the Tumen river, marking strategic partnership between the two countries, Russia's prime minister said.

The bridge is being built near the existing "Friendship Bridge", a rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean war.

"This is a truly significant milestone for Russian-Korean relations. Its significance goes far beyond a simple engineering task. It symbolizes our common desire to strengthen friendly, good-neighborly relations and expand interregional cooperation," - Mishustin stated at a ceremony dedicated to the start of the new bridge's construction.

North Korea's prime minister Pak Thae Song stated that the bridge will be "a wonderful symbol of the immortal friendship and cooperation between the peoples of our two countries."

Currently, the only operational links between the two countries are a railway bridge and air service. The addition of a road bridge will help boost cargo traffic and expand passenger transportation.

The total length of the bridge crossing, including access roads, is 4.7 kilometers and link up with the Russian highway system. The bridge itself spans 1 kilometer—424 meters on the Russian side and 581 meters on the Korean side.The seven-meter-wide bridge will feature two traffic lanes.

It is expected that the bridge will be ready by the end of 2026. The project 

Mishustin said the bridge "will allow entrepreneurs to significantly increase transportation volumes and reduce transportation costs, ensure reliable and stable supplies of various products, which will contribute to the expansion of trade and economic cooperation." 

Its construction was agreed during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024. Last year Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement on a comprehensive strategic partnership, declaring that "relations between Moscow and Pyongyang had reached a new level appropriate for the current era."

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