Chinese cargo trucks are rolling across the New Yalu River Bridge, but North Korean trucks have yet to join them. Two weeks after the crossing opened on Oct. 15, 2026, North Korean transport officials are still preparing their own vehicles for service, and some traders in China expect the North Korean trucks to start running as early as November.
Chinese trucks have traveled in and out of North Korea over the bridge since it opened, a source in China told Daily NK on Thursday, adding that North Korean trucks have not yet started regular cargo runs.
The New Yalu River Bridge links Sinuiju, the capital of North Pyongan province, with Dandong in China’s Liaoning province. China paid for the cable-stayed bridge, and crews finished its main structure in 2014. The span then sat idle for over a decade because North Korea left its access roads and customs facilities unfinished. International sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic added further delays before Xi Jinping’s June 2026 visit to Pyongyang cleared the way.
Ahead of the opening, North Korean authorities serviced several dozen freight trucks for the new route. Many traders expected trucks from both countries to start hauling cargo together once the bridge opened. So far, though, Chinese trucks have carried most of the freight across the border. Some North Korean trucks that entered China after the opening ceremony even drove home empty, according to the source.
It remains unclear what exactly is keeping North Korean trucks off the bridge. Their paperwork may not be fully in place, or the two sides may still be negotiating how to handle shipments.
“The opening of the New Yalu River Bridge has certainly improved conditions for vehicle traffic, but actual cargo volumes haven’t risen noticeably compared to before,” the source said.
That suggests the logistics system around the bridge has yet to fully take shape. Daily NK reported last week that customs delays have left drivers waiting in their trucks for three hours or more.
North Korean trucks prepare for New Yalu River Bridge runs
North Korean transport officials are now taking concrete steps to haul freight over the bridge themselves. They recently contacted their Chinese trading partners to confirm where each shipment will be picked up and delivered. They are also mapping out truck routes to match those deliveries, the source said.
Until recently, North Korean preparations focused mainly on keeping their vehicles in working order. Now the talks have turned to specifics, such as what cargo to carry, where to load it and where to deliver it.
Direct cargo runs by North Korean transport companies could reshape a logistics structure that has long relied on Chinese carriers. For years, Chinese trucks and transport firms have handled a large share of overland North Korea-China trade. Once North Korean trucks join the route, the two sides may divide cargo volumes and strike deals in new ways.
Costs also weigh heavily on traders along the North Korea-China border. Many complain that steep Dandong-Sinuiju shipping fees leave them with little profit. Before the opening, Chinese traders rushed cargo across the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge because they feared higher tolls on the new crossing. That older road and rail bridge has carried most trade between the two cities for decades.
North Korean trucks could begin full operations on the bridge as early as November. Whether that actually happens next month remains uncertain, and traders on both sides of the Yalu River are watching closely.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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October 30, 2026 at 07:23PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)