2018 has been a truly commemorative year for the DPRK, which observed the 70th anniversaries of not only the founding of the North Korean state, but also the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and several of its international partners.

Last month, however, one milestone passed with barely a mention: seven decades of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Romania.

Across the expanse of post-Communist states, countries such as Bulgaria, Mongolia and Russia, which once maintained exclusive ties with the DPRK, have generally attempted to maintain balanced relations with both Seoul and Pyongyang. Romania, however, has proven to be an