North Korea-China bridge to open this week after more than a decade idle

A bridge between North Korea and China will officially open to traffic this week after sitting idle for more than a decade following its construction, according to a Chinese news report on Wednesday.

The New Yalu River Bridge, which connects the North Korean city of Sinuiju and Dandong in China, will open Thursday, according to China's Xinhua News Agency.

The construction of the four-lane motor bridge began in October 2011 and wrapped up in October 2014, but it stood unused for years because North Korea did not finish the buildings and infrastructure on its side.

Vehicles have recently been spotted crossing the 3,024-meter (9,921-feet) bridge, raising the possibility of a test run.

The bridge, which is expected to boost trade and personnel exchanges between the two countries, opens after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged at their June summit in Pyongyang to raise their ties to a strategic level and enhance exchanges.

Yonhap