(Source: Wikimedia Commons) Introduction When North Korea unexpectedly closed its borders in February/March, despite still having foreign tourist groups within the country, many analysts speculated that the decision was drawn from concerns regarding the social media uploads and increased international attention. However, a month later, borders reopened for the Pyongyang International Marathon. Many of the travelers to Pyongyang were the same visitors from the Rason group, and

Synopsis Pyongyang’s destabilizing conduct can be seen as communications with three consistent audiences, namely North Korean citizens, the U.S.-ROK alliance and the West. This could signal why durable rapprochement is extremely difficult.         Pyongyang’s recent moves to supply Russia with ammunition, artillery systems, ballistic missiles  and even combat vehicles , along with the prospective future dispatch of tanks, and 6000 engineering/construction  troops, to bolster