The data doesn’t lie: Russia once again stood at the center of North Korea’s foreign policy in 2025.

After dispatching thousands of troops to Kursk last year, the DPRK piled on with additional deployments of military engineers and deminers, alongside continuing shipments of weapons and ammunition.

Dozens of government, military and economic delegations also shuttled between Moscow and Pyongyang throughout the year, while Russian tourists enjoyed the exclusive privilege of visiting North Korea’s shiny new Wonsan Kalma resort.

But for the first time in years, there were clear signs that the