North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday via the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge, according to Yonhap, in a Kim Jong Un China visit that would fall a day ahead of a key anniversary.
The anniversary is that of Chinese troops’ entry into the Korean War, according to the Japan Times, which reported Kim’s arrival in Dandong on Saturday. Yonhap, citing an unnamed source, reported that Kim entered the city through the bridge, according to DW.
The Hindu, citing Yonhap, reported that the trip is Kim’s first visit to China in a year. Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, according to the same report.
The New Yalu River Bridge was completed in 2014 but went unused for 12 years, according to DW, because of a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side. The bridge officially opened about a week before the reported visit, a step toward strengthening economic ties between the two countries, DW reported.
The opening also came just over a month after North Korea and Russia inaugurated their first road bridge, according to background in the reporting.
The visit follows a summit in Pyongyang in June between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kim. According to The Hindu, Xi travelled to Pyongyang for the meeting and expressed willingness to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology.
China is North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key source of diplomatic, economic and political support, although the relationship has not always been smooth. North Korea’s ties with Russia have grown since Pyongyang sent troops and weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, including military supplies. Kim has more recently sought closer ties with China, its traditional main ally.
Neither Beijing nor Pyongyang has confirmed the visit, and North Korean and Chinese state media had not reported it. South Korea’s presidential office and Unification Ministry did not immediately confirm the report.
The key facts of the visit rest on an unnamed source cited by Yonhap, and no named or on-record source has been identified. The Japan Times item was available only as a headline and short excerpt, so its account could not be checked in full. It is also unclear whether Kim will attend commemorative events for the anniversary.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials are scheduled to meet Monday in Beijing for the fifth plenary session of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. Whether Kim attends anniversary events remains unclear.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.