Kim's China visit ended with the North Korean leader returning home on October 24, 2026, after a day-long trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong. The visit followed the opening of a major bridge between the two countries, though its aims and outcomes were unclear.

Key Takeaways

  • Kim met Chinese political adviser Wang Huning and visited a Korean War memorial and a bus factory.
  • The New Yalu River Bridge opened in October, 12 years after its completion.

Kim's China visit included talks and factory tour

Neither country announced the trip in advance. North Korea's Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited a memorial to Chinese soldiers who fought alongside North Korea in the 1950–53 Korean War, then spoke with Wang Huning, China's top political adviser.

Kim pledged to carry forward the countries' friendship. Wang said the visit was significant for strengthening goodwill and political trust and pursuing cooperation, China's Xinhua news agency reported. Wang also conveyed Chinese leader Xi Jinping's greetings to Kim.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi participated in the events. Kim visited a bus factory before returning to North Korea, KCNA said.

Bridge opening preceded the trip

China is North Korea's largest trading partner and an important source of diplomatic, economic and political support. The New Yalu River Bridge opened in October after being completed in 2014.

South Korean news reports have attributed the delay to a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side. The opening came just over a month after North Korea and Russia opened their first road bridge.

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