North Korea has hailed the construction of a new bridge connecting it to Russia as a “significant step” in strengthening bilateral relations, according to a report from state media KCNA on Thursday.
Russia and North Korea on Wednesday began construction of a road bridge that will span the Tumen River. It had been in discussion for years but was agreed on during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024.
‘Vitalizing Bilateral Cooperation’
“It provides a substantial guarantee for laying down and reinforcing… important infrastructure for economic cooperation and for vitalizing bilateral cooperation including travel of persons, tourism and circulation of commodities,” KCNA said.
North Korea appears to have gained economic and military benefits in exchange for sending arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Pyongyang is discussing industrial modernisation in 14 sectors with aid from Russia, including in metals, aviation, energy and tourism, South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday, citing the country’s intelligence agency.
North Korean Troops In Russia
North Korea on Monday, April 28, officially confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to support Russia in the ongoing war in Ukraine, following direct orders from leader Kim Jong Un. The regime claimed its forces played a role in recapturing Russian territory previously held by Ukrainian forces.
The victorious end of the battle to liberate Russia’s Kursk region showed the “highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship” between North Korea and Russia, KCNA state news agency cited the North’s ruling party as saying.
Russia said last week that Ukrainian forces had been expelled from the last Russian village they had been holding, although Kyiv denied the claim and said their troops were still operating in some parts of Russian territory.
The Central Military Commission of the North’s Workers’ Party said leader Kim Jong Un made the decision to deploy troops under the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
South Korea, US Criticise Pyongyang
The US State Department demanded North Korea’s deployment to Russia and any support by Russia in return must end, adding Russia had violated U.N. Security Council resolutions by training North Korean soldiers.
Countries such as North Korea, whose support has “perpetuated the Russia-Ukraine war, bear responsibility”, a State Department spokesperson told Reuters.
South Korea said Monday’s confirmation of the troop deployment was an “admission of criminal act,” and condemned the North for the “inhumane and immoral” decision to send its young people to battle with the intention of propping up its regime.
(With inputs from Reuters)
