North Korea’s new ambassador to Russia has faced a tough first year on the job after arriving in Moscow at the onset of the global pandemic in February, and efforts to expand bilateral ties appear to have slowed as a result. 

Addressing DPRK Ambassador Sin Hong Chol and other new ambassadors at a ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday, however, Russian leader Vladimir Putin signaled that improving ties with the DPRK remains a priority.

“We are ready to continue developing the entire range of bilateral ties, as we agreed during the Russia-North Korea summit in Vladivostokin April 2019,” Putin said,