A new bridge spanning the Tumen River between North Korea and Russia is currently under construction. According to a report by NK News on Friday, plans are in place for a large-scale immigration control center on the Russian side of the border.
Citing a tender announcement from Rosgranstroy, the Russian border facility management agency, NK News revealed that approximately 40 million USD will be invested in the construction of this immigration control center. The bidding process is open from June 11th to June 27th.
According to the announcement, 17.1 million USD was allocated to the main immigration control building, 6 million USD each for the service and operations building and cargo inspection facilities, and 2 million USD for a garage. Rosgranstroy aims to complete the majority of the construction by year-end, with the passenger baggage inspection area and garage slated for completion by mid-next year.
The facility plans include a 2 million USD investment for a dog kennel to be used by border guards and customs officials. An additional 5.8 million USD is earmarked for a precision inspection area for cargo vehicles and goods. The project also allocates about 510,000 USD for a sanitary and quarantine checkpoint, 340,000 USD for five restrooms, and 130,000 USD for a driver’s waiting area.
Chris Monday, a Russia analyst at Dongseo University, suggests that the inflated costs for the Russian immigration facility could be a smokescreen for other transactions. These might include military purposes, funding for North Korea, or kickbacks to associates of Kim Jong Un. NK News also speculates that Rosgranstroy could be a front for a major Russian construction firm.
The bridge project, which began in late April, is estimated to cost 115 million USD and is scheduled for completion by mid-next year. The entire structure, including access roads, will span 4.7 kilometers (about 2.92 miles). The main bridge will be 7 meters (about 23ft) wide and 1 kilometer (about 0.62 miles) long, with Russia responsible for building 424 meters (about 0.26 miles) and North Korea constructing 581 meters (about 0.36 miles). The project is expected to be finalized by June next year.