The small, Northern European country of Estonia rarely if ever registers on the radars of most North Korea watchers. It remains one of only two EU member states — and the only Baltic state — that has not established formal diplomatic relations with the DPRK.

Estonia’s refusal to do so following the end of Soviet occupation in 1991 may reflect a reluctance to build ties with regimes ideologically linked to the USSR. But the continuing lack of political will to establish relations stems from opposition to the DPRK’s nuclear weapons program and poor record on human rights.[/p