During his recent tour of the Middle East, Moon Jae-in became the first South Korean president to visit Cairo in 16 years, meeting with his Egyptian counterpart for discussions on topics ranging from infrastructure cooperation to arms sales.

The three-day visit underlined Seoul’s prioritization of the region and increasing economic partnerships between the two countries. It also showcased a notable state of affairs — Cairo’s evolving relationship with Pyongyang as it seeks to expand ties beyond its traditional Korean ally.