China and North Korea hoped to finally finish a multi-million dollar cross-border bridge this year, even pushing through the global COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate construction. 

But now, it appears that construction work to complete the Dandong-Sinuiju New Yalu River Bridge has stopped again — likely due to a recent North Korean crackdown on border activity. 

The new border measures are likely intended to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 during upcoming, large-scale celebrations slated for a major national holiday in October.

China completed construction on the twin-tower cable-stayed bridge in 2013, but it sat unused for