Russia’s increasingly warm foreign policy toward North Korea has garnered increased media attention recently.

The basic question many analysts and journalists have been asking regarding the immediate future of North Korea-Russia ties is to what extent Russia will replace China as North Korea’s main international partner.

Russia has appeared to be gaining in its relations with North Korea as the DPRK’s ties to China have experienced a decline. China, which has been North Korea’s most stable partner since the end of the Cold War, has grown increasingly intolerant of North Korea’s security provocations.

Russia will also likely be reluctant to