1. Understanding the objective
In 2011 it was reported that Russia would write off 90% of the North Korean debt and in return Russia would be allowed to invest in North Korean projects in the energy, health and education sectors, as reported in 2012. One of the major projects planned by Russia was to build a gas pipeline to energy-hungry South Korea through North Korea. The multi-billion project is, however, unlikely to be realized as North and South Korea are still de jure at war.[27]
On 5 May 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified an agreement to write off 90% of North Korea’s debts after the State Dumapassed the law on 18 April 2014 and the Federation Council approved it on 29 April 2014.
Link
Moscow is advocating for the U.S. military to reduce its reinforcement of nearby allies Japan and South Korea, claiming this support emboldens the regime to go further with its nuclear program. U.S. officials have argued that cutting back on support for regional allies has not worked in the past and accused Russia of helping prop up the cash-strapped North Korean regime.
www.newsweek.com/...
2. Understanding the leverage:
Whether outsiders played a decisive role in Tuesday’s firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile is not publicly known. But the evidence from the televised engine test in March is tantalizing, and also disturbing, analysts say. While North Korea is known to have obtained other Soviet missile designs in the past, the new revelations suggest the possibility of a transfer of weapons secrets [with the Russians] that has gone undetected until now…
The jokes all but stopped after North Korea achieved a series of technical breakthroughs in surprisingly rapid succession. Just in the past four years [ie since 2014]…
www.washingtonpost.com/...
3. Understanding the timing (of North Korea approving today’s announcement):
There is pervasive anxiety inside the walls of the White House over the fallout around allegations leveled against President Donald Trump by porn actress Stormy Daniels, multiple sources tell CNN, with some officials worried that the salacious accusations and tangled legal fight could dwarf past controversies.
www.cnn.com/...
Dwarf past controversies? Yikes. IMO, a new word for “controversy” will need to be invented to describe Trump’s presidency in the history books.
North Korea and Russia’s endgame for years has been to find a way to radically reduce the United States’ military footprint in the region in exchange for denuclearization. Since 2014, when Russia forgave 90% of North Korea’s debt, a deal previously linked to energy development plans, it seems possible, even likely that Russia has continued to feed North Korea some of their weapons secrets to help put the NK nuclear program on the fast track, and therefore to accelerate the point at which the endgame is reached and money can be made by Russian oligarchs.
So far, no other US president has flinched on this. Russia and North Korea see their window of opportunity closing to exploit Trump’s weakness as his scandals finally begin to threaten his “presidency.” Many of Russia’s other plans for Trump and his band of foreign agents have so far been foiled or have fallen through. It’s an understatement to say that it’s an understatement to say that it will be interesting to see if Trump can deliver the Russians this, their final trump card... before leaving office.