North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in China. Citing South Korean government sources, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that he reached the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly opened bridge.
This visit, which took place on Saturday, comes about a week after the official opening of a major new bridge connecting the two nations. Although construction of the bridge was completed 12 years ago, it had remained unopened until now. The bridge is expected to further strengthen economic ties between China—a major Asian power—and its smaller, nuclear-armed neighbor, North Korea.
China is North Korea’s largest trading partner. For the isolated nation, China also serves as a vital source of diplomatic, economic, and political support—though the relationship between the two countries has not always been smooth.
Yonhap reported that “Kim arrived in Dandong earlier today, crossing the ‘New Yalu River Bridge’.”
According to South Korean media reports, construction of the four-lane bridge was finished as early as 2014. However, its opening was delayed due to the lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side.
