Russia and North Korea have opened a new road link across the Tumen River, expanding direct transport connections between the two countries. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song took part in the opening ceremony by video conference and launched traffic across the new bridge. The crossing was named after Red Army officer and Hero of Labor of North Korea Yakov Novichenko.

The project moved forward after Russia and North Korea signed an agreement on its implementation in 2024 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Construction officially began in April 2025, when Mishustin and Pak Thae Song gave the start to the work.

Until now, cross-border transport over the Tumen River had relied in part on the Friendship railway bridge. Its capacity, however, was not sufficient to meet existing freight demand. The new crossing is designed to support year-round road traffic.

The road connection is expected to allow businesses to move larger volumes of cargo while reducing transportation costs. It is also intended to make deliveries between Russia and North Korea more reliable and stable, while creating additional opportunities for bilateral trade.

The full bridge crossing stretches for almost 5 kilometers, including roughly 1 kilometer of bridge structure over the river. Two traffic lanes are available for vehicles.

A new Khassan road border checkpoint was built alongside the bridge. The facility includes 10 traffic lanes. According to the Russian government, once the checkpoint reaches full operating capacity, it will be able to handle 300 vehicles and more than 2,300 people per day. Its throughput capacity can be increased further in the future.