For years, the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge has been one of the most talked-about infrastructure projects among Phnom Penh property buyers. The plan links the Night Market area in Daun Penh across the Tonle Sap to Chroy Changvar, then over the Mekong to Areyksat in Kandal Province.

Recently, we have heard reports that construction has started in Areyksat. We went through English, Khmer and Korean sources to find out whether that is true.

The short answer

As of late October 2026, we can find no evidence that construction of the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge has begun. The project has not been cancelled, but it remains at the design stage, and its Korean funding is under a political cloud.

What the project involves

Cambodia and South Korea signed a loan agreement of around US$246 million for the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge on 9 December 2022, according to the Korean Embassy in Cambodia. The money comes from Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), managed by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

The design calls for two cable-stayed bridges: 1,070 metres across the Tonle Sap and 1,262 metres across the Mekong, as reported by Construction & Property News. Korean engineering firm Yooshin signed a US$18.85 million design and supervision contract with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in September 2024.

A history of missed start dates

Construction was first expected in late 2023. In August 2024, the Ministry announced a June 2025 start, as reported by The Star. In mid-2025, Kampuchea Thmey reported that the Korean ambassador hoped work would begin in early 2026.

None of these dates has been met. In June 2026, Construction & Property News reported that the project was still in the detailed design study phase. We found no announcement of a construction contractor being appointed.

Why the funding is in question

The rumour that Korean funding had “dried up” has a real basis. In South Korea, the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge has become caught up in investigations into whether the Unification Church lobbied the previous government over Cambodian aid projects. The Church denies any involvement, according to Newstapa.

Sisa Magazine reported that the special counsel searched the Export-Import Bank of Korea in July 2025 over the Cambodian EDCF loans. A Korea Times editorial also questioned the sharp rise in the bridge’s EDCF budget, from 200 million won in 2023 to nearly 59 billion won in 2025.

Most recently, the Korea Economic Daily reported in October 2026 that the government has effectively stopped approving new EDCF projects since the allegations surfaced, and that companies fear delays to existing ones. The bridge loan predates this freeze, but it sits at the centre of the controversy.

cambodia-korea-friendship-bridge-update
Image courtesy of  Cambodianess (2024)

So what is being built in Areyksat?

Several other projects are active or planned in the area, which may explain the reports of construction:

  • Mekong Quay City: Prime Minister Hun Manet presided over the groundbreaking of this new satellite city in December 2024, as reported by Cambodianess.
  • A Koh Norea–Areyksat bridge: a separate crossing backed by OCIC and TP Moral Group, reviewed by the Ministry in June 2026, with no cost, start date or funding yet announced (Construction & Property News).
  • A JICA-supported Mekong bridge: in August 2026, the Ministry reviewed a Japanese study for an extradosed bridge linking Phnom Penh to Areyksat, alongside an upgrade of National Road 1 (Construction & Property News).

What it means for buyers and investors

Areyksat’s long-term potential rests on new river crossings, and several are now on the drawing board. For now, though, all of them are at the planning or design stage, and the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge has no confirmed construction date. Buyers should treat bridge-linked price premiums with caution until ground is genuinely broken.

We will update this article as new information emerges. For the latest property news and listings, join our Telegram group.

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