New Yalu River bridge stays shut as Oct. 6 opening speculation passes

A new bridge over the Yalu River linking Dandong in China and Sinuiju in North Korea drew attention around a possible opening on Oct. 6, the 77th anniversary of North Korea-China diplomatic relations, according to Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo. No official opening ceremony was held that day. Yonhap reported that diplomatic sources considered a ceremony unlikely on Oct. 6, and said no ceremony was observed. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]

The bridge is a four-lane structure completed in 2014 that has not opened for 12 years, Newsis reported, because related facilities on the North Korean side were not built. China completed its customs building in 2016, according to the same report. Recently, the North Korean side was reported to have finished customs and immigration facilities, which is why attention focused on an opening. [ 1 , 2 ]

On the morning of Oct. 6, Yonhap observed about 20 vehicles driving onto the bridge from 9 a.m. for roughly two hours. Black and white sedans and vans entered and left at intervals, and two vans stopped at the middle of the bridge for about 15 minutes. Workers unloaded items from trunks and inspected the bridge’s piers and facilities. However, the vehicles turned back toward their starting point, and no crossing from the Chinese side to the North Korean side or the reverse was seen. No large cargo trucks or ceremonial wreaths moved across, and a green crane at the North Korean gate folded and stopped operating. [ 4 ]

That same morning, Chosun Ilbo reported that red cargo trucks lined up for about 450 metres beside the bridge, on ground where a ‘Yellow Duck Theme Park’ had been cleared. The report said it heard the trucks were intended for sale to North Korea once the bridge opens. [ 3 ]

The day before, Newsis reported from Dandong that the bridge itself looked clean and ready, but the Chinese customs building and clearance facilities were still closed and there were no visible signs of preparation for a ceremony. A vendor selling tanghulu near the bridge said he had sold there for more than ten years without seeing vehicles cross and did not believe it would open, while another vendor said he had heard from a manager that the ceremony would be on Oct. 16. [ 2 ]

In reporting on possible timing, Yonhap cited diplomatic sources saying North Korean major events conventionally take place at 9-10 a.m. or around 2 p.m., and that Oct. 6 fell outside that. Possible dates mentioned included Oct. 9, after China’s National Day holiday of Oct. 1-7, Oct. 10, North Korea’s Workers’ Party founding anniversary, and Oct. 16. The sources said vehicle traffic on the bridge had increased noticeably since last month and that on Sept. 20 a large truck was seen crossing from Dandong toward Sinuiju, which they described as a sign an opening is near. [ 2 , 4 ]

In Dandong, a flower shop owner in the new district told Yonhap the North Korean consulate usually ordered many flowers for events or anniversaries but there had been no news recently, adding that trade companies were being set up nearby and that expectations of economic development from an opening were high. Moon Il-hyun, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law, told Yonhap the delay was likely because details had not been fully agreed, and said reading it as a major problem or disruption would be an overinterpretation. [ 4 ]