North Korea abuzz over opening of New Yalu River Bridge, seen as a way around sanctions; launches major publicity push

[Financial News] North Korea has launched a major publicity campaign for the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge, which is expected to become a channel for circumventing sanctions against the country. North Korea plans to accelerate economic cooperation with China through the bridge, which connects Sinuiju and Dandong, China.
On the 16th, the Korean Central News Agency extensively publicized the opening ceremony held locally the previous day, describing the bridge as “a creation embodying the indomitable vitality and development of China-DPRK friendship, which has steadfastly preserved its true character through the trials of history, as the border bridge reveals its majestic form above the Yalu River winding along the borders of the two countries.”
It added that “the traveler inspection center, the import and export goods inspection and quarantine station, and other facilities have been arranged in a practical and modern manner, making it possible to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries.”
Rodong Sinmun, the Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, also ran a related article with photos of the event on page 2. China had earlier reported on the ceremony through the state-run Xinhua News Agency on the day it was held.
North Korean Premier of the Cabinet Park Tae-sung and Chinese Premier of the State Council Li Qiang each delivered congratulatory remarks by video. The agency reported that Park expressed confidence that “the China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge will accelerate the forward march toward the revitalization of the two countries and the improvement of the people’s welfare, and add new dynamism to mutually beneficial economic cooperation.”
Premier Li Qiang stressed that “no matter how the international situation changes, the firm position of the Chinese Party and government, which attaches great importance to China-DPRK friendship, will not change,” and that “the firm resolve to safeguard the common interests and strategic environment of both sides will not change.”
Those attending the opening ceremony the previous day included North Korean Ambassador to China Ri Ryong-nam and Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun. Also present were, from the North Korean side, Yang Myong-chol, chief secretary of the Workers’ Party’s North Pyongan Provincial Committee; Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the North Pyongan Provincial People’s Committee; and Consul General Ma Jong-su, stationed in Shenyang. From the Chinese side, attendees included Xu Kunlin, Liaoning Provincial Party secretary, and Gu Jun, vice governor of Liaoning Province. North Pyongan Province and Liaoning Province are the North Korean and Chinese administrative divisions connected by the New Yalu River Bridge.
The New Yalu River Bridge, a two-way, four-lane bridge measuring 3,026 meters in total, was completed in 2014 after China invested about 2.2 billion yuan (about 440 billion won). Official traffic was delayed due to the lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side, among other reasons. With the restoration of North Korea-China relations, the bridge officially opened 12 years after its completion.
The opening of the bridge is expected to boost people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, including group tours by Chinese tourists. Until 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 300,000 Chinese tourists visited North Korea annually on average. However, entry to North Korea by Chinese tourists has remained restricted for the past six years.
Concerns have also been raised that the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge could undermine sanctions against North Korea. The Ministry of Unification, however, said it was difficult to make a hasty judgment that the sanctions would be rendered ineffective.



[email protected] Kim Gyeong-su Reporter