Global NK published a series of three special reports analyzing the current dynamics of the DPRK-China-Russia relationship and proposing strategic recommendations for South Korea.
Gu Ho Eom, a professor at Hanyang University, argues that while the North Korea-China-Russia partnership may appear to be strengthening, structural deficiencies in each bilateral relationship within the triangle make it unlikely to institutionalize beyond micro-level policy coordination.
Jaewoo Jun, an associate research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, highlights that despite closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, China's strategic leverage over Russia limits the potential for the DPRK-Russia alliance to advance significantly.
Kyungmo Ahn, a professor at the Korean National Defense University, observes that North Korea has shifted its strategy from bandwagoning to an "internal balancing strategy" focused on military self-reliance and nuclear development. He notes that trilateral cooperation is central to this approach, particularly amid the rise of global multipolarity.
*Also available for download in Korean.
[Read “The DPRK-China-Russia Triangle Under Trump 2.0”]
[Read “China’s Calculus on DPRK-Russia Alignment”]
[Read “The New Cold War and the North Korea-China-Russia Triangle”] | 
