Foreign media: The U.S. think tank 38 North says the opening of the North Korea-Russia highway bridge may be delayed.
The bridge, measuring 850 meters in length, is the first road connection between the two countries, originally scheduled to go into operation on June 19. However, satellite images show that the customs complex on the Russian side is far from completion, with progress significantly lagging behind; its scale is expected to be more than three times that of the North Korean side and still requires substantial construction work. In contrast, facilities on the North Korean side are nearly finished.
Analysts believe that once completed, the bridge could boost logistics volume by over 40%, helping North Korea reduce its reliance on China and deepen economic ties with Russia. The Russian Ministry of Transport previously stated that the bridge’s daily capacity could reach 300 vehicles and 2,850 people.
Do Jun-ho, an expert from a South Korean research institution, said this delay is more about mutual trust and symbolic significance between the two sides, with limited short-term economic impact, and also reflects uncertainties in policy coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869526153193536/
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