Relationship dossier
Germany
North Korea
Relationship assessment
German sanctions policy and North Korea’s weapons programs constrain bilateral relations.
Germany toward North Korea
-15Germany supports EU and UN sanctions targeting North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and has criticized those programs. German policy has also included limited humanitarian engagement.
North Korea toward Germany
Not assessedOverall relationship
Not assessedHow 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
Germany’s policy toward North Korea combines support for international sanctions and criticism of its nuclear and missile programs with limited humanitarian engagement. The bilateral relationship is constrained by these security concerns. Information about concrete North Korean government cooperation with Germany is insufficient to assess its policy toward Germany.
Areas of tension
- North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and Germany’s support for sanctions addressing them.
Key developments
Germany established diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of German humanitarian engagement with North Korea are unclear.
- Details of North Korean government cooperation with Germany are limited.