Relationship dossier
North Korea
Taiwan
Relationship assessment
North Korea backs Beijing’s claim over Taiwan; Taiwan restricts trade with North Korea under sanctions.
North Korea toward Taiwan
-25North Korea supports the People’s Republic of China’s claim to Taiwan and opposes moves toward Taiwanese independence.
Taiwan toward North Korea
-25Taiwan has imposed trade and financial restrictions on North Korea in line with international sanctions targeting its weapons programs.
Overall relationship
-25The relationship is shaped by North Korea’s support for Beijing’s position on Taiwan and Taiwan’s participation in restrictions on North Korea. These policies create friction, while the scope of direct bilateral engagement is limited.
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 supports the People’s Republic of China’s claim over Taiwan, while Taiwan has imposed trade and financial restrictions on North Korea in line with international sanctions. These opposing policies characterize a strained relationship, though direct bilateral engagement and its scope are limited.
Areas of tension
- North Korea’s support for Beijing’s claim over Taiwan.
- Taiwanese trade and financial restrictions on North Korea under international sanctions.
Key developments
Taiwan imposed restrictions on trade with North Korea in line with international sanctions.
Major uncertainties
- The details and consistency of North Korea’s government statements specifically addressing Taiwan are unclear.
- The scope and implementation of Taiwan’s restrictions on North Korea may have changed over time.