• Society

South Korea Friendship Bridge Construction Date Set

• By Rin Ousa
• February 22, 2024 5:10 PM

PHNOM PENH – Construction of the Cambodia-South Korea Friendship Bridge is due to start in the first half of 2025.

The bridge will be in two sections across the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, with one section going from the Night Market Park to the Chroy Changvar peninsula and the other to the Arey Ksat area. 

Originally, construction was due to start in late 2023. 

Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea met South Korean Ambassador Park Jung-wook on Feb. 21 at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. 

The courtesy call aims to strengthen cooperation between Cambodia and Korea, especially on the development of infrastructure and connectivity in line with the Pentagon Strategy-Phase 1  which prioritizes roads, people, water, electricity and technology.

Ambassador Park Jung-wook spoke of the progress of the construction of the bridge, which is expected to open in the first part of 2025. 

Ministry spokesman Heang Sotheayuth said the ​Cambodian side respected the principles and procedures set by the South Korean government as the construction was funded by Seoul. 

“The South Korean ambassador has shown his commitment to speed up the implementation of the project, ensuring the construction could start in the first part of 2025. The exact date or any updates will be announced later,” Heang Sotheayuth said. 

As the construction of this bridge will benefit both the government and citizens, Sotheayuth said both parties put their utmost efforts into speeding it up. 

The agreement for the construction was signed on Dec. 9. 2022 by the Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth and Minnie Chey, country director of the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

It is expected to cost around $245 million and will be the first friendship bridge between Cambodia and South Korea. Cambodia already has such bridges with China and Japan.