North Korea and Russia reached an agreement on expanding health care cooperation during their leaders’ summit earlier this year, seeking to build on their burgeoning military ties since the start of the war in Ukraine.

But as the two allies discuss plans to build new hospitals, exchange medical specialists and more, an overlooked aspect of the DPRK health care system could influence the success of their efforts to build foreign ties through medicine — whether North Korean physicians are truly qualified.

The quality and accessibility of the DPRK’s medical infrastructure have long been a topic