Vladimir Putin received such an impressively staged welcome in North Korea that the red carpet he was greeted on by Kim Jong Un was later visible on the satellite footage from Earth’s orbit. The economic relationship between Russia and North Korea dates back to the post-World War II period when the Soviet Union played a crucial role in the establishment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 1948. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was North Korea’s primary economic and military benefactor, providing substantial aid, technical assistance, and trade opportunities. However, wi…