China’s embassy in Pyongyang has downsized its staff over the last three years while Russia increased its diplomatic presence, analysis of embassy staff numbers obtained by NK Pro shows.

The DPRK’s capital is home to 24 foreign embassies, though the Russian and Chinese diplomatic missions employ the most staff by a wide margin.

Comparing staff lists since 2013 shows that Russia upgraded the number of staff at the embassy from 11 to 17 at some point before November last year.

“It might be a belated reflection of the much publicized (but generally unsuccessful) attempt to