Kim Jong Un Appears in China, Silencing Death Rumours
Story By Staff Reporter
Kim Jong Un has crossed into China. The North Korean leader arrived in the border city of Dandong on Saturday. He travelled over the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge, according to South Korean officials.
The bridge opened officially about a week ago, 12 years after builders finished it. Kim’s trip also falls a day before the anniversary of China’s entry into the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Reuters and AFP reported the arrival, citing unnamed South Korean government officials. Yonhap News Agency cited an unidentified government source. Reuters also quoted a South Korean official saying Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Kim in Dandong. China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither Beijing nor Pyongyang has confirmed the details.
Appearance follows days of rumours
The trip follows unverified online claims that Kim had died. On Tuesday, North Korean state media released new photographs of him. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said he visited a clothing and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19. Yonhap reported that his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and daughter, Kim Ju Ae, joined him. He also made a reported public appearance at a museum on October 11.
Neither North Korea nor China acknowledged any emergency. No hospital records or independent evidence have surfaced to support the rumours. State-media photographs cannot verify a leader’s health. Still, a cross-border trip reported by several agencies suggests he is travelling and active.
A bridge years in the making
The four-lane New Yalu River Bridge stretches 3km (1.9 miles) across the Yalu River. Builders completed it in 2014. South Korean news reports say the opening stalled because North Korea lacked connecting roads and customs facilities. The bridge should carry two-way traffic around the clock, including container shipments and heavy cargo trucks.
Lu Chao works at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, a Chinese government think tank. He told Reuters the bridge removes a major bottleneck in trade logistics. He expects bilateral trade to rise.
Balancing Beijing and Moscow
China is North Korea’s largest trading partner. It also provides vital diplomatic, economic and political support. Ties have not always been smooth. China fought alongside North Korea in the Korean War. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Pyongyang has moved closer to Moscow. Analysts say that has reduced its reliance on Beijing.
Analysts see the visit as part of Kim’s more assertive foreign policy. He wants to align Pyongyang with Beijing and Moscow against the United States. Kim calls this a “new Cold War”.
Kim last visited China in September 2025. He attended the 80th Victory Day celebrations in Beijing and held a summit with President Xi Jinping. Xi made a state visit to North Korea in June. He said Beijing would expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology. Kim called ties with China a top strategic priority.
