During his recent tour of the Middle East, Moon Jae-in became the first South Korean president to visit Cairo in 16 years, meeting with his Egyptian counterpart for discussions on topics ranging from infrastructure cooperation to arms sales.

The three-day visit underlined Seoul’s prioritization of the region and increasing economic partnerships between the two countries. It also showcased a notable state of affairs — Cairo’s evolving relationship with Pyongyang as it seeks to expand ties beyond its traditional Korean ally.

The relationship between North Korea and Egypt goes back to the 1950s and for years centered on military cooperation, including