SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited China in his first visit to the country in a year, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

The agency cited an unidentified government source saying Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong after crossing a newly opened bridge between the countries.

South Korea’s presidential office and Unification Ministry, which deals with inter-Korean affairs, didn’t immediately confirm the report. North Korean and Chinese state media didn't immediately report on a visit by Kim.

Yonhap said Kim used the New Yalu River Bridge, which opened earlier this month after more than a decade of delay, to arrive in Dandong.

After years of prioritizing Russia, sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for military and economic assistance, Kim has more recently sought to strengthen ties with China, the North's traditional main ally and economic lifeline.

Kim’s visit comes months after Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Pyongyang in June for a meeting with Kim. During their summit, Xi expressed Beijing’s willingness to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology, while Kim described ties with China as a top strategic priority.

Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, when he met with Xi and watched a military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders.