Following last week's China-DPRK summit and amid renewed speculation over a resumption of U.S.-North Korea negotiations, Pyongyang continued to signal the importance of ties with traditional partners as diplomatic exchanges with Russia and Syria kicked off over the weekend.

On Friday, a Syrian delegation led by foreign minister and Deputy Prime Minister Walid al-Moallem arrived in the North Korean capital, while a day later North Korean vice foreign minister Im Chon Il departed for Moscow to attend bilateral talks with his Russian counterparts.