Chinese traders are rushing cargo across the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge ahead of the New Yalu River Bridge’s expected opening on Oct. 15, 2026. Many fear the new crossing will charge steep fees once it opens to traffic and they want to push as much freight into North Korea as possible while the old route stays cheaper.
A Daily NK source said Wednesday that northbound cargo on the old bridge spiked right after China’s National Day holiday. The weeklong holiday ran from Oct. 1 to 7 and usually brings customs work along the border to a halt.
Shipments typically pile up after a long break in cross-border trade. This time, however, the source said the new bridge’s imminent opening has made the rush far more intense.
Behind the scramble lies a widespread worry among Chinese traders about costs. They expect the New Yalu River Bridge to vastly improve logistics but fear steep tolls and other charges.
“The new bridge has better roads and more lanes, so it should handle far more freight,” the source said. “But people are saying it will cost quite a bit to use. So the mood is to send what we can through the old bridge before the new one opens.”
Chinese traders are now lining up to clear customs as quickly as they can. Many are pushing forward shipments planned for later dates along with goods due for immediate delivery. The surge has left the customs office in Dandong even more crowded than usual.
“If the goods are going to be sent anyway, the thinking is to send them now,” the source said. With everyone hurrying to ship at once, the source added, freight volumes are piling up all at the same time.
New Yalu River Bridge tolls weigh on traders
The rush runs counter to the common view that the New Yalu River Bridge will smooth trade between North Korea and China. The new span offers far greater room for cargo trucks than the old one. Even so, high usage fees could place a real burden on the traders who rely on it.
“For people in business, the total cost of each shipment matters more than whether a bridge is new or old,” the source said. “It’s good that there are two routes now instead of one, but if the new one is expensive, it’s bound to be a burden.”
Authorities have not yet announced toll rates for the New Yalu River Bridge. Once the official opening reveals the exact costs, Chinese traders will likely weigh which crossing gives them the better deal.
The bottleneck at the old bridge suggests that cost efficiency, more than convenience, now drives decisions in North Korea-China trade. For traders working the border, a cheaper route still beats a newer one.
Daily NK reported earlier this week that staff at New Yalu River Bridge facilities on the Chinese side had started reporting for regular duty. North Korean cargo trucks had also finished preparing for the new crossing, among several signs of an imminent opening.
South Korea’s Ministry of Unification oversees inter-Korean relations and Seoul’s North Korea policy. A ministry official offered an upbeat view, saying new logistics links tend to expand trade between North Korea and China. “We believe it could contribute significantly to the development of North Korea-China relations,” the official said.
The Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge was built in 1943 and links Dandong in China’s Liaoning province with Sinuiju in North Pyongan province. The narrow span has long carried the bulk of trade between North Korea and China. China is the country’s largest trading partner and a vital economic lifeline for Pyongyang under international sanctions.
The New Yalu River Bridge, a four-lane span financed by China, was completed in 2014. It then sat unused for more than a decade as road and customs work on the North Korean side stalled.
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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