"Investment" and "political risk" are perhaps not the phrases that most readily come to mind when one considers the Korea security crisis. Moon Jae-in's visit to Moscow last month, however, has advanced hopes in both Russia and South Korea for mutually beneficial economic exchanges. This would ideally not take place exclusively in the context of the Russia-South Korea strategic partnership, but would also include the northern half of the Korean peninsula.

With such optimism, however, comes the need for awareness of the potential for losses. Indeed, the flip side of possible inter-Korean economic engagement with the outside world is the sobering reality closer inspection of possible DPRK-ROK-Russia rapprochement yields.