The city of Khasan has long been considered one of the most remote points in Russia with a population that does not exceed 500 people. But it is there, over 9,000 km from Moscow, that Russia has a 17 km border with North Korea.
Since 1959, a railway bridge has passed over the border river Tumandzhan or Tuman - so far the only land connection between the two countries. In parallel, however, a road bridge is being built, which is almost ready.
Russia and North Korea are getting closer
The finalization of the project is causing concern in Ukraine, as there are concerns that the bridge could be used not only to transport goods, but also to transfer soldiers from North Korea to Russia to take part in the war.
Since the beginning of the war against Ukraine, Russia and North Korea have been getting closer. Both countries are affected by comprehensive Western sanctions and are in strong foreign policy isolation. In June 2024, heads of state Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un signed a strategic partnership agreement. Its most important result - deepening military cooperation. It covers the supply of weapons, but also soldiers from North Korea for Russia's war in Ukraine.
The agreement on the construction of the bridge was also reached then. "The opening of the new bridge will stimulate bilateral trade, optimize logistics, strengthen cultural ties and turn the border regions into dynamically developing economic centers," said Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin.
"The pace of construction of the bridge, as well as the intense rail traffic in the area, are clear signs of the importance of expanding trade between the two countries during Russia's war against Ukraine," the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington also noted.
The real goals are unlikely to be an increase in tourism and trade.
In an article in the British "Guardian" However, we read serious doubts that economic goals are the main reasons for the construction of the bridge.
In 2024, according to official data, trade exchange between Russia and North Korea was only $34 million, while the costs of building the bridge and the surrounding infrastructure alone amounted to $100 million. Satellite images show that large warehouses for storing goods and customs processing of cargo, truck parking lots, and a helipad are also being built.
The Ukrainian human rights organization "Truth Hounds", which is also monitoring the construction, does not believe that the bridge will lead to a tourism boom, given that it is an impressive 125-hour drive from Moscow. "Tourism in North Korea is severely limited and due to the country's isolation, it cannot develop rapidly," the organization concludes. And if someone decides to spend their vacation there, they will not head to the underdeveloped northeast, but to the capital Pyongyang, which is hundreds of kilometers from the border. Add to this the fact that Russia has long tried unsuccessfully to attract tourists to its heavily subsidized direct flights from Moscow to Pyongyang. They are never full, and for the whole of 2025, fewer than 10,000 Russian citizens used them.
Therefore, analysts from "Truth Hounds" conclude that the real reason for the construction of the bridge is to deepen military cooperation - especially when it comes to the transfer of North Korean soldiers and weapons for the war against Ukraine. According to unofficial information from South Korea, Ukraine and the United States, last year North Korea sent between 14,000 and 15,000 soldiers to Russia to be sent to the front in Ukraine. Kim Jong-un's regime has also supplied weapons to Russia on more than one occasion.
Could North Korea gain access to Russian nuclear technology?
Just a few days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Platform X that Russia could use another 30,000 North Korean fighters in the war against Ukraine. And the bridge would also benefit North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, since the new route would allow various resources to be delivered from Russia without being controlled.
"Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, how weapons can be improved, and to gain real combat experience in using them," Zelensky wrote.
In addition, it is assumed that North Korea could gain access to Russian nuclear technology in return for its commitment, notes political scientist Ulrich Schmidt from the University of St. Gallen. In Zelensky's words, this is "a threat to every person in Asia who is within range of North Korean missiles".
Author: Thomas Lachan