A refrigerated cargo ship in Vladivostok, Aug. 5, 2015 | Image: Alexxx Malev via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
North Korea’s trade with Russia all but evaporated in 2021, Russian customs data shows, again underscoring how Pyongyang’s strict COVID-19 prevention measures have eviscerated commerce with the outside world.
But as world leaders pile sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s increased isolation could drive it to flout sanctions on trade with North Korea “even more shamelessly,” according to one expert.
North Korea’s trade with Russia all but evaporated in 2021, Russian customs data shows, again underscoring how Pyongyang’s strict COVID-19 prevention measures have eviscerated commerce with the outside world.
But as world leaders pile sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s increased isolation could drive it to flout sanctions on trade with North Korea “even more shamelessly,” according to one expert.
Ethan Jewell is a Seoul-based correspondent for NK News focused on sanctions, trade and maritime issues. He previously worked as an investigations and intelligence specialist for Pinkerton Comprehensive Risk Management and as a research intern for the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asia Policy Studies. Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanJewell