From September 4-6, leaders and high-level delegates from across Asia, including the two Koreas, convened for the fifth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia. The presence of delegations from both North and South Korea marked the second time officials from both Koreas were at the EEF simultaneously.  

While various countries, including India, Japan, and Mongolia sent their top leaders, officials at the vice-premier level represented Pyongyang and Seoul. 

The presence of India’s Narendra Modi as the guest of honor was perhaps the most unique aspect of the EEF, yet Korean security also played an outsized role in the goings-on