November marked somewhat of a return to normalcy for North Korean leadership activity. This was the first full month since Kim’s reappearance in October after a lengthy absence. November also featured a return to the regime’s usual focus on military activity, especially in the lead up to the annual winter training phase.

Not everything was business as usual, though. Choe Ryong Hae, usually one of the two men most commonly seen with Kim – along with Hwang Pyong So – spent much of the month in Russia as Kim’s special envoy. Meanwhile, November saw the continued