Unannounced trip comes amid renewed diplomatic attention to Korean Peninsula, raising prospects of meeting with Xi Jinping
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made an unannounced visit to China on Saturday, crossing the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge into the border city of Dandong, South Korea's Unification Ministry confirmed.
The surprise trip comes amid renewed diplomatic attention to the Korean Peninsula, with US President Donald Trump seeking to revive dialogue with North Korea and China preparing to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen next month.
Kim's arrival also comes a day before the 76th anniversary of China's entry into the 1950-53 Korean War, raising speculation that the visit could be linked to commemorative events.
Earlier Saturday, Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing diplomatic sources, that strict traffic restrictions had been imposed in parts of Dandong, fueling speculation that a senior North Korean official was visiting the border city.
The trip marks Kim's first visit to China since September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Attention is now focused on whether Kim will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders last met in June, when Xi visited Pyongyang, and Kim has met Xi during each of his previous visits to China since taking power.
The visit also follows unsubstantiated rumors circulating on social media that Kim had died after suffering a brain hemorrhage. South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers Friday that the claims were false.
The New Yalu River Bridge, a four-lane structure spanning approximately 3 kilometers, connects Dandong, China's largest trading gateway with North Korea, to Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province.
Although construction was completed in 2014, its opening was delayed for more than a decade because of unfinished infrastructure on the North Korean side. The bridge officially opened Oct. 15, making Kim's crossing one of its most prominent uses since its inauguration.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
