North Korea is taking advantage of the balance between China and Russia. The destination of the visit was the Chinese city of Dandong. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed the Yalu River Bridge, which opened on October 15, and traveled to the Chinese city of Dandong, where he met with Wang Huning, a senior figure of the Chinese Communist Party. Kim also visited a car factory. According to Xinhua, Kim said they would expand cooperation with China and deliver tangible benefits to the two peoples.
The bridge could not be opened for a long time. The 3-kilometer bridge connecting Sinuiju and Dandong was completed in 2014, but it could not enter service because construction on the North Korean side was not finished.
The visit coincided with a significant date. Kim’s visit took place one day before the anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War. Xi Jinping had also traveled to Pyongyang in June.
This development also highlighted the Russia dimension. About a month before the opening of the Yalu River Bridge, the first road bridge between North Korea and Russia had also entered service. The number of casualties was also high. According to Western sources, at least 2 thousand 300 North Korean soldiers have died fighting for Russia. The Guardian reports that Beijing and Moscow are locked in a rivalry for influence over Pyongyang. Experts note that the North Korean economy is largely dependent on China, and that Kim is trying to play the two countries off against each other.
Why it matters
The fact that the bridge, despite being completed in 2014, remained closed for years because construction on the North Korean side had not been finished shows that Pyongyang opens its external connections on its own terms and on its own timetable. For North Korea, whose economy is largely dependent on China, this 3-kilometer crossing is not merely a transport link but a channel for deepening trade and political closeness with Beijing. Kim’s trip to Dandong one day before the anniversary of the Korean War, following Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang in June, demonstrates that both sides attach mutual importance to the relationship. On the other hand, the opening of the first road bridge with Russia about a month ago, and the deaths of at least 2 thousand 300 North Korean soldiers while fighting for Russia according to Western sources, show that Moscow is also deepening its ties with Pyongyang. The open question is whether this strategy of Kim, who is trying to turn the rivalry for influence between Beijing and Moscow to his own advantage, will translate into the concrete benefit promised to the people.
Background
Russia is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 15 stories featuring this name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated October 23, 2026.