KATHMANDU — The 3,026-metre-long Yalu River Road Bridge connecting China and North Korea is set to come into operation from Thursday.

The bridge, which was completed in 2014, is going to open after 12 years. This is expected to expand the trade relations between the two countries.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, the four-lane bridge will connect the Chinese border city of Dandong with North Korea. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that its operation was delayed due to a lack of road and customs infrastructure on the North Korean side.

China is North Korea’s largest trading partner and a major diplomatic, economic and political ally. Train services between the two countries resumed in March after six years of closure during the pandemic.

The new bridge will serve as an alternative to the decades-old China-Korea Friendship Bridge, which has limited capacity. According to researcher Ahn Chan-il, hundreds of vehicles will be able to pass through the new bridge every day. He said that it could support the economy of China by transporting goods and resources to North Korea.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry has said it is closely monitoring the condition of the bridge’s operation. North Korea has not started issuing visas to Chinese tourists.

The opening of the bridge with China comes a month after the first road bridge between North Korea and Russia was opened. According to analysts, while military equipment plays a major role in trade with Russia, trade with China can provide the goods needed to develop North Korea’s civilian economy.