Kim Jong Un crosses newly opened bridge to visit Chinese border city of Dandong
October 24, 2026 at 05:30 PM
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, visited Dandong in China's Liaoning province on Saturday, Oct. 24 [1][2][3]. According to South Korean government sources, he crossed into China on a new bridge over the Yalu River, which forms the border between the two countries, nine days after it opened on Oct. 15 [1][3]. On the Chinese side he was welcomed by Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the fourth-ranking member of the Communist Party leadership, who conveyed greetings from President Xi Jinping [1][2].
According to Xinhua, the two men presented a flower basket at the memorial tower for the fallen soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers on the square of a Korean War memorial hall, and inside the hall Kim viewed historical artifacts showing Chinese and North Korean soldiers fighting side by side and gave the hall a historical photograph inscribed in his own hand [2]. Yonhap reported that the two also toured an automobile factory in Dandong [3]. At their meeting, Wang said that Kim's "special trip to Dandong" on the 76th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' entry into the war "fully demonstrates how much the party and government of the DPRK value the China-DPRK friendship forged with blood" [2].
Kim thanked China for its long-standing support for North Korea's socialist cause and said he hoped to broaden the two countries' historic friendship and practical cooperation so that both peoples would benefit [3]. According to China's Foreign Ministry, he also said he wanted to carry on the historic friendship together with China [1]. Wang saw Kim off as he returned home after the short visit [3].
North Korea and China mark Oct. 25 as the anniversary of the entry of Chinese troops into the 1950-53 Korean War, and Kim's visit came the day before [3]. It was his first trip to China since September 2025 and, according to Yonhap, his sixth in all [1][3]. Wang noted that Xi and Kim had made "historic mutual visits" in September last year and June this year, and said the opening of the new bridge "can be taken as an opportunity to expand personnel exchanges and trade cooperation" [2].
The four-lane bridge, which stretches 3,026 meters between Dandong and the North Korean border city of Sinuiju, was completed in 2014 with about $310 million in Chinese investment, but its opening was delayed for years because North Korea did not finish the connecting roads and customs facilities on its side [3]. China will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen next month, which President Donald Trump is expected to attend, but North Korea has not responded to Trump's stated wish to hold talks with Kim [3].