There are not many countries that want to be associated with violent tyranny, the absence of freedom, and a disgusting lack human rights. This makes finding a trade partner very difficult for the North Korean government. It doesn’t look very good when you supply your main export, coal, through child labor and what is essentially slavery. On top of that, international organizations like the United Nations and NATO often require members to impose strict sanctions in response to the way North Korea treats its citizens. So how does a country that is so universally hated survive?

North Korea’s economy is still up and running for one reason: China. 83% of North Korea’s exports are to China. Though countries like India, Russia, Pakistan, and Burkina Faso are also trade partners, China’s relationship with North Korea is immense in comparison.

Though one may think that China simply wants to expand its economy and trade with whoever it can, there is another glaring reason for its support of the authoritarian regime. China is not only North Korea’s trading partner, but also its neighbor. If Kim Jong Un’s iron fist lost its grip, millions of refugees may seek shelter across the border, giving China big problems.

Information about the Chinese-North Korean relationship is pretty available, but there is another major country accused of trading behind the scenes: Russia. In Spring, eight U.S senators wrote a letter to Trump urging him to take immediate action against Putin. Lawmakers, along with many analysts, strongly believe that Russia is employing North Korean prisoners in Siberia, trading oil, and exporting supplies related to chemical weapons to Syria. If these allegations are even remotely true, then Russia would be outright defying several international organization agreements, such as U.N-wide sanctions.

Looking forward, North Korea may be thinking about expanding its economy beyond its current limits. Some experts believe that Kim Jong Un is looking for ways to improve trade. U.S President Donald Trump thinks so too.

Back in June, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un met in Singapore for a historic summit. After the meeting, Trump said that Un had agreed to begin denuclearization, and that once that happens, trade with the notoriously isolated country might just be an option for the United States.

“They (North Korea) have great beaches. You see that whenever they’re exploding their cannons into the ocean. I said, ‘Boy look at that view. Wouldn’t that make a great condo?’” Trump told reporters after the summit.

If North Korea were to suddenly abandon its nuclear weapons and give its citizens basic rights, its economy could skyrocket. However, signs of that actually happening are still slim.