China, Russia ties driving North Korean economic recovery: Seoul

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Seoul: North Korea’s economy is showing signs of recovery as Pyongyang deepens trade and diplomatic ties with China and Russia, South Korea’s unification ministry said in a report released on Friday.

The ministry said the North appears to have moved beyond a period of economic contraction and entered a phase of gradual recovery.

North Korea has long struggled with rigid state planning, heavy military spending and sweeping international sanctions linked to its nuclear weapons programme.

China has traditionally been the country’s main economic supporter, while ties with Russia have strengthened significantly since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

According to the report, Pyongyang’s growing cooperation with Moscow and improved trade conditions with Beijing are key drivers behind the recent economic improvement.

Direct flights operated by Air China between Beijing and Pyongyang resumed in March after a six-year suspension, while daily passenger rail services between the two capitals have also restarted.

During a recent visit to Pyongyang, China’s foreign minister said Beijing hoped to further expand practical cooperation with North Korea.

Analysts say North Korea is also receiving economic support and military technology assistance from Russia in exchange for supplying troops and ammunition for the war in Ukraine.

North Korea does not publish official economic data. South Korea estimates the North’s nominal gross domestic product was about $30 billion in 2024, a small fraction of the South Korean economy.

The country has long faced chronic shortages, with famine in the 1990s killing hundreds of thousands and reports indicating the COVID-19 pandemic worsened food insecurity.

In February, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country had overcome its worst difficulties of the past five years and was entering a stage of optimism and confidence.