MOSCOW: The construction of a road bridge between Russia and North Korea across the Tumannaya River marks a significant milestone in relatio...
MOSCOW: The construction of a road bridge between Russia and North Korea across the Tumannaya River marks a significant milestone in relations between the two countries, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said during a virtual ceremony commemorating the start of the bridge’s construction also attended by the head of the North Korean cabinet Pak Thae Song.
"This is a big milestone for Russian-Korean relations. Its (the bridge’s construction - TASS) importance goes far beyond just engineering. It symbolizes our common intention to strengthen friendly neighborly relations, to boost transregional cooperation," Mishustin said.
"We are creating a reliable basis for closer cooperation between our two countries, a road for an open and fruitful dialogue, for bringing our peoples closer, boosting the number of trips and meetings, and discovering each other’s history and traditions," he added.
In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement on comprehensive strategic partnership, which stated that the relations between Moscow and Pyongyang had entered a new level fitting the times and created necessary conditions for the launch of mutually beneficial projects, the Russian premier noted. "Obviously, the construction of a bridge for year-round traffic is a priority for us," he said.
"I am convinced that the new bridge will become a firm symbol of peace and neighborliness between Russia and North Korea," the official stressed.
There is only an operational railway bridge and air service between the two countries now. A road bridge will allow increasing the flow of cargoes and expand passenger service.
The bridge together with approach roads is 4.7 km long in total. The length of the bridge itself is 1 km, with the Russian part spanning 424 meters, and the Korean part 581 meters. The width of the bridge is seven meters (two lanes).
The bridge is expected to be completed in one and a half years.
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