New deadline comes after the allies delayed the opening originally scheduled for June
Russia aims to open its new car bridge across the Tumen River with North Korea in early September, a local official said in a recent interview with Russian state media, after the project was originally slated for a June opening.
The bridge is largely “ready for operation” as Russia puts the finishing touches on the border and customs facilities before the opening “in the early days of September,” Ivan Stepanov, head of the Khasan village on the Russian side of the border, told the state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta last week.
Russian authorities see “significant economic and social potential” in the project that could bring together Russia, North Korea and also China, the official said.
“On the Korean side, just a few dozen kilometers away, lies the international seaport of Rajin, while a free economic zone is located across the nearby border in China,” Stepnov told Rossiyskaya Gazeta. “I am confident that Chinese cargo will also be transported across this bridge.”
Additionally, the “new crossing will generate tax revenue, create jobs and attract tourists,” he reportedly added.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta noted the completion of the project may see high-level attendees, with Yonhap News raising the possibility of the Russian and DPRK leaders meeting at the opening ceremony, which is likely to coincide with the Far East Economic Forum in Vladivostok slated for Sept. 1-4.
Russian President Vladimir Putin regularly attends the event, which raises the possibility of his presence in the region at the time of the opening of the new motorway link.
READ MORE: North Korea, Russia still working on new car bridge ahead of scheduled opening
NK Pro previously reported that work on the bridge was ongoing as of mid-June, following an official linking ceremony in April.
Russia and North Korea began preparatory work on the bridge in Nov. 202 but officially kicked off the project on April 30, 2025.
The allies initially planned to complete the project by June 19, the second anniversary of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Putin’s agreement to construct the motorway link.
While the DPRK has largely finished the work, including its customs facility, on its side of the river, Russia has yet to finish construction on its crossing facility as of July 17, according to Planet Labs satellite imagery.
The newly constructed road bridge between North Korea and Russia on July 17, 2026, with work nearly complete on the DPRK side and customs and other facilities still under construction on the Russian side | Image: Planet Labs, edited by NK News
The new car bridge visible behind the old Soviet-era railway bridge across the Tumen River in June 2026 | Image: Qiao Ruien via Red Note
The bridge spans roughly one kilometer, 315 meters of which are over the Tumen River, and will feature two lanes and pedestrian walkways. The Khasan border crossing facility is expected to have 10 lanes and the capability to process up to 300 vehicles and 2,850 people daily.
Moscow originally planned to spend over $110 million on the bridge and crossing, while the checkpoint was estimated to exceed $170 million, NK Pro found.
Russia tasked the obscure Sochi-based company TonnelYuzhStroi with the initiative in Feb. 2025. NK News was first to report on the Chechen business mogul Ruslan Baisarov as the likely beneficiary of the project.
Edited by David Choi
Updated at 4:45 p.m. KST on July 30, 2026 with additional context
