STORY: North Korea appears to be quietly pulling back from longtime partner Iran, while keeping its options open with the United States.
That's according to South Korean lawmakers on Monday (April 6), after they were briefed by the country's intelligence agency.
Seoul's National Intelligence Service, or NIS, said Pyongyang hasn't sent weapons or supplies to Iran since the war began in late February... and has stayed notably silent after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in air strikes.
North Korea also did not congratulate Khamenei's son after he was named Iran's new leader.
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While China and Russia have spoken out repeatedly on the conflict, Pyongyang has issued just two toned-down statements so far, and has avoided direct criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump.
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The NIS believes that restraint is deliberate, aimed at preserving diplomatic space ahead of the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in May.
At the same time, South Korean intelligence says the war is adding to pressure on North Korea's economy, forcing Pyongyang to look beyond Iran for support.
Park Sun-won is a member of the South Korean parliament's intelligence committee:
"North Korea is also facing significant economic difficulties due to the war in the Middle East. They are experiencing setbacks in securing industrial supplies, rising prices, and soaring exchange rates. Amid these circumstances, they are making moves to secure additional oil from Russia."
Intelligence officials say Kim Jong Un's recent comments about getting along with the U.S. point to a calculated move... positioning North Korea for talks with Washington once the Middle East conflict calms down.
