North Korea’s trade agreements with China, Russia, and Nigeria are discussed explicitly in this article
China-North Korea
Relations between China and North Korea have generally been friendly, yet tensions have arisen in recent years as a result of North Korea’s nuclear development. They have a tight special connection, and China is frequently regarded as North Korea’s most important friend. A mutual aid and cooperation treaty exists between China and North Korea, which is currently the only defense treaty either country has with any other country.
China’s economic help to North Korea amounts to over half of the country’s total foreign aid. Beijing delivers the aid directly to Pyongyang, bypassing the United Nations in the process.
Between 1996 and 1998, when North Korea faced a serious food shortage, Beijing gave North Korea unconditional food aid.
North Korea’s major trading partner is China, whereas North Korea ranks low as a source of imports to China. North Korea is reliant on China for commerce and help, even though UN sanctions have reduced North Korea’s formal trade volume. Trade between the two countries increased tenfold between 2000 and 2015, peaking at $6.86 billion in 2014.
North Korea – Russia
The connection between North Korea and Russia is a bilateral relationship between the two countries. On October 12, 1948, immediately after the proclamation, the Soviet Union (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR, the precursor state to the Russian Federation) was the first to recognize North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK) as the sole legitimate authority in all of Korea. Throughout the Korean War, the Korean People’s Army was backed by Soviet military forces. North Korea was established as part of the Communist bloc and benefited greatly from Soviet assistance. During the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, China and the Soviet Union fought for influence in North Korea, as North Korea attempted to preserve good relations with both countries.
Following the Korean War, the Soviet Union became North Korea’s primary trading partner and backer. With Russian technical support, 93 North Korean factories were erected, forming the country’s heavy-industrial backbone. From 1965 to 1968, Soviet aid to the DPRK increased, notably after Sino-North Korean relations deteriorated during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
Around 60% of North Korea’s commerce was with the Soviet Union in 1988, when the bilateral relationship was at its pinnacle. The bulk of the commerce was in raw materials and petroleum, which Moscow gave at discounted prices to Pyongyang.
Nigeria – North Korea
The bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are referred to as Nigeria-North Korea relations (DPRK). The DPRK has an embassy in Pyongyang, and Nigeria has an embassy in Lagos.
Nigeria began diplomatic ties with North Korea in 1976. Since then, relations have improved as a result of the signing of various cooperation agreements. In 2012, the DPRK and Nigeria signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” regarding investment and economic cooperation. In 2012, a Nigerian team visited the DPRK and presented floral bouquets to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il statues in central Pyongyang. Kim Il-childhood Sung’s house in Mangyongdae, the Tower of Juche Idea, and the International Friendship Exhibition were also visited by the team. Both countries inked an economic cooperation pact in 2014 to boost information technology knowledge exchange. Experts, technicians, and academics from the DPRK and Nigerian universities will be able to collaborate on research more easily as a result of the agreement.
In 2019, North Korea shipped goods worth US$2.5 million to Nigeria. Polypropylene was the most important export to Nigeria. Nigeria exported $505,000 worth of products, with copper and aluminum being the most frequent.
