The Czech Republic and North Korea have unique ties that date back to the special relationship Prague — then the capital of Czechoslovakia — and Pyongyang forged during the Cold War.

These distinct links today fit somewhere between hawks and doves within European Union states, allowing the Czech Republic to serve as a conduit to the DPRK for the continent.

That’s not to say Prague has not drawn clear boundaries against North Korea’s nuclear and weapons programs. The Czech Republic is a steadfast critic of these developments, condemning all six nuclear tests and supporting all