Kim Jong Un arrives in China's Dandong via new bridge, Yonhap reports

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday, 24 October 2026, that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong. Yonhap cited an unnamed South Korean government source. It said Kim crossed the New Yalu River Bridge, which links China and North Korea.

DW, Al Jazeera, The Hindu and Reuters carried the report and trace it to Yonhap. AP's summary instead attributes it directly to South Korea's government. According to The Hindu, South Korea's presidential office and Unification Ministry did not immediately confirm the report, and North Korean and Chinese state media had not immediately reported the visit. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi include no on-record confirmation from North Korea or China.

The reports do not describe the purpose, duration or itinerary of the trip. They do not say whether Kim is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The four-lane bridge was completed in 2014. Its opening was delayed by a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side. Al Jazeera attributes this to South Korean news reports. The bridge officially opened earlier in October 2026.

China is North Korea's largest trading partner. Kim last visited China in September 2025, when he met Xi in Beijing. Xi visited North Korea in June 2026. The Hindu and AP describe the trip as Kim's first visit to China in a year. According to The Japan Times, Kim arrived a day before the anniversary of Chinese troops' entry into the Korean War. Its summary does not state its source.

Separately, North Korea's KCNA news agency said Kim addressed a two-day meeting of army company commanders in Pyongyang. SCMP dates the meeting to 22-23 October. According to state media, Kim called for a "Korean-style military revolution" and urged the army "to train the strongest armed forces in the world".

What is disputed

AP's summary attributes the report to South Korea's government. Other outlets say Yonhap cited an unidentified government source. Accounts also differ on certainty. DW quotes the source as saying: "It appears that Kim Jong Un has arrived in Dandong, China, via the New Yalu River Bridge." Al Jazeera quotes Yonhap without that qualification: "Kim arrived in Dandong through the New Yalu River Bridge earlier in the day."

What each side says

On possible U.S.-North Korea talks, Daily Sabah reported, citing five people familiar with the matter, that chances of a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in 2026 are fading. Speaking at the White House, Trump said: "I get along with him very well, and I'm not sure that anybody's asking for a meeting," according to Daily Sabah. An unnamed White House official said Trump "remains open to talking with Kim Jong Un, without any preconditions." According to Daily Sabah, North Korean state media have said any summit would come with tough conditions, potentially including sanctions relief.

Analysis

Most outlets trace the core claim to an unnamed South Korean government source cited by Yonhap, while AP attributes it to South Korea's government; North Korea and China had not confirmed the visit. If North Korean or Chinese state media later confirm it, attention may turn to whether Kim meets Xi Jinping and whether the new bridge features in any trade discussions. If no confirmation follows, the episode may illustrate how one wire report can spread widely through other outlets. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not establish any link between the reported trip, the war anniversary, the bridge opening or the APEC summit in Shenzhen. Any connection between these events, or with stalled U.S.-North Korea diplomacy, remains a matter for future reporting rather than established fact.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.