North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in China via new bridge

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 24 Oct, 08:44 · Archive

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly opened bridge, according to South Korean media.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong via the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge on Saturday, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency quoting a South Korean government source.

The four-lane bridge was completed in 2014 but remained unused for 12 years due to a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side. It officially opened about a week before Kim's arrival, marking a step towards strengthening economic ties between the neighbouring countries.

China is North Korea's largest trading partner and a key source of diplomatic, economic and political support for the nuclear-armed state, though relations between the two have not always been smooth. Kim's last known visit to China was in September 2025 to attend Victory Day celebrations in Beijing, where he held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who made a state visit to North Korea in June.

How it is being reported

• North Korea’s Kim visits China ahead of key anniversaryKim Jong Un arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, a day ahead of the anniversary of Chinese troops' entry into the Korean War.The Japan Times · 24 Oct, 09:07
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in China's border cityNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly opened bridge linking the two countries, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.DW News · 24 Oct, 08:29
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in Chinese border cityNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly opened bridge linking the two countries, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.DW News · 24 Oct, 08:29
• North Korea’s Kim Jong Un arrives in China, South Korean media saysThe visit comes about a week after a major new bridge linking the two countries was officially opened.Al Jazeera · 24 Oct, 08:07

In this story: Kim Jong Un · China · North Korea · Dandong · Xi Jinping

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem