North Korea–Russia alliance revives Cold War divisions
Russia reaffirmed its intentions on 26 October 2023, when the Kremlin pledged to ‘continue to develop close relations in all areas’ with Pyongyang. Similarly, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui...
View ArticleCould Russia provide an end to North Korea’s strategic solitude?
Kim held a one-day summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vostochny. The Russian host gave his North Korean guest a tour of the spaceport, highlighting Russia’s main rockets, Soyuz and Angara....
View ArticleThe resilience of scientific diplomacy in North Korea
Speculation was rife about the agenda of this meeting. Rumours circled that it revolved around a potential exchange of North Korean ammunition stockpiles for Russian assistance in developing space...
View ArticleNorth Korean embassy closures point to struggle and starvation
In November 2023, North Korea decided to close its foreign diplomatic missions in Angola, Hong Kong,Nepal, Spain, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Senegal and Guinea. Theseclosures...
View ArticlePyongyang’s pivot back to military tensions and Cold War alliances
More missile tests, rapidly advancing relations with Russia and China and zero progress on diplomacy with the United States and South Korea — this was the direction North Korea took in 2023. While the...
View ArticleDiplomatic shifts belie continuity in North Korea
In 2023, North Korea continued the foreign policy line it has followed since the failed attempt to compromise with the United States, undertaken during the former Trump administration. The year was...
View ArticleSatellites, summits and succession in North Korea
Though North Korea had yet to fully resume its pre-pandemic activities by the end of the year, Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un celebrated major successes in safeguarding and strengthening North Korea and...
View ArticleNorth Korea’s economy in retrograde
In 2023, North Korea intensified its political and economic development. Pyongyang is going back to its historical roots, dedicating economic resources to the heavy industries where it has a...
View ArticleDanger ahead as Kim and Yoon bury inter-Korean detente
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have not been this high since 2017, when then US president Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un exchanged threats of nuclear war and North Korea...
View ArticleSouth Korean censorship obscures vital information
North Korea deleted a large portion of its online presence in January 2024, with eight of its websites going offline along with most of its social media accounts. This followed a speech by North...
View Article
