Pyongyang pivots as loyal ally of China and Russia

Significance

Besides Russia, only Syria has gone that far. This marks a major shift in Pyongyang’s posture. Long proudly non-aligned, it now stresses solidarity against the West. Its motives are economic and political.

Impacts

• Personnel reshuffles are likely when parliament meets on September 7; those sacked may be scapegoated for economic and other failures.
• Recent diatribes from Pyongyang confirm that inter-Korean ties will stay frozen; they are anyway not a priority for South Korea’s president.
• A declaration of victory over COVID-19 signals efforts towards much-needed economic normalisation, whatever the true status of the outbreak.