Relationship dossier
North Korea
Sudan
Relationship assessment
Past military cooperation was followed by Sudan’s 2016 announcement that it would end military ties with North Korea.
North Korea toward Sudan
+15North Korea supplied weapons to Sudan and provided military assistance, although the extent and timing of that cooperation are unclear.
Sudan toward North Korea
+15Sudan engaged in military cooperation and arms dealings with North Korea, then announced in 2016 that it would end military ties.
Overall relationship
+10The bilateral relationship included concrete defense and arms cooperation, but Sudan’s 2016 announcement that it would end military ties marked a significant break. The relationship’s enduring structure is therefore limited, with past cooperation offset by the stated termination of military links.
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
North Korea and Sudan had periods of military and arms cooperation, including reported North Korean weapons supplies and military assistance to Sudan. In 2016, Sudan announced that it was ending military ties with North Korea. The relationship therefore included concrete but limited defense cooperation, followed by a stated reduction in that cooperation.
Areas of tension
- North Korean arms dealings with Sudan raised concerns about compliance with international restrictions on arms transfers.
Key developments
Sudan announced that it would terminate military ties with North Korea.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Sudan's announced 2016 termination of military ties are unclear.
- Details of North Korean arms supplies and military assistance to Sudan, including their timing and extent, are limited.