North Korea said Thursday the construction of a road bridge linking the North and Russia across the Tumen River will provide a "substantial guarantee" for bolstering economic cooperation between the two nations.
North Korea and Russia held a ceremony simultaneously in their respective border cities of Rason and Khasan on Wednesday to launch the construction of the motor bridge linking the two nations, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
In June last year, North Korea and Russia agreed to construct a road bridge across the Tumen River with its completion eyed by the end of 2026, as the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty to prop up cooperation.
The construction "provides a substantial guarantee for laying down and reinforcing the important infrastructure for economic cooperation and for vitalizing the bilateral cooperation including travel of persons, tourism and circulation of commodities in a many-sided way," the KCNA said.
Premier Pak Thae-song and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin attended the ceremony via video link.
"The construction of the motor bridge would contribute to laying an eternal foundation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries that put on a track of new comprehensive development," Pak said.
The 850-meter road bridge, if completed, is expected to facilitate flows of goods and travelers between the two nations, as they have been bolstering cooperation in various fields, including the military and economy. (Yonhap)
