In the recent North Korea – Russia bridge construction project, the differences in construction methods appear to reflect, first, from a lack of smooth coordination at the working level between the two sides, likely tied to issues such as additional costs resulting from sudden changes in plans. Second, the divergence stems from disparities in equipment and technical expertise: North Korea, with poor machinery and little experience in large bridge construction, seems to have adopted the method it prefers or can manage. Furthermore, given the importance Pyongyang places on pride, it may also be pursuing a different method deliberately in order to later claim that the bridge was built independently – framing it as the payoff for its troop dispatch to Russia. However, the end result is likely to create structural and technical weaknesses in the completed bridge, as well as additional burdens in terms of maintenance and upkeep.

For the time being, the economic and military cooperation between North Korea and Russia will likely be maintained, but these issues are expected to emerge over time, and ultimately, both sides are anticipated to act according to their own interests.