International delegations sent to and dispatched from North Korea almost completely flatlined in 2020, with just one group visiting the DPRK during the entire year, according to data from the newly launched NK Pro Delegation Tracker tool.

The sharp drop — which was caused by the COVID-19-related travel restrictions North Korea imposed in Jan. 2020 — made last year the least active one yet for DPRK-related delegations since 1997, when NK Pro records began.

“With no more trips of North Korean diplomats and state officials abroad, North Korea has lost an important channel of information, which likely leaves it