Relationship dossier
Egypt
North Korea
Relationship assessment
Historical military and economic cooperation has been complicated by sanctions-related tensions.
Egypt toward North Korea
-10Egypt expelled North Korea’s ambassador in 2017 amid international pressure to enforce sanctions. Earlier, Egyptian company Orascom invested in North Korea’s telecommunications sector, reflecting a period of economic engagement.
North Korea toward Egypt
+15North Korea provided military support to Egypt during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, including assistance from North Korean pilots. The present scope of North Korean government cooperation with Egypt is unclear.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship combines earlier military cooperation and Egyptian commercial investment with later sanctions-related friction, including Egypt’s 2017 expulsion of North Korea’s ambassador. The extent to which earlier cooperation continues is uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Egypt and North Korea have had periods of military and economic engagement, alongside tensions over North Korean weapons activity and international sanctions. Egypt expelled North Korea’s ambassador in 2017 amid pressure to enforce sanctions. Earlier ties included North Korean military support to Egypt during the 1973 war and Egyptian investment in North Korea’s telecommunications sector.
Areas of tension
- North Korean weapons activity and the implementation of international sanctions.
Key developments
North Korea provided military support to Egypt during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
Egyptian company Orascom invested in North Korea’s telecommunications sector.
Egypt expelled North Korea’s ambassador amid pressure to enforce international sanctions.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of current Egyptian government cooperation with North Korea is unclear.
- The present scope of military and economic ties, including the status of earlier arrangements, is uncertain.