North Korea–Russia Medical Ties: DPRK military medics are reportedly exchanging know-how with Russian counterparts as part of wartime cooperation, with a senior Russian surgeon saying North Korean representatives “helped a lot” and that exchanges are ongoing. Food Security & Healthcare Cooperation: Belarus and North Korea are pushing new joint work after high-level visits, with agriculture, food security, and healthcare highlighted as priorities and preparations underway for expanded trade and economic talks. Public Health Watch (Livestock): North Korea’s Sepho Tableland model livestock farm in Kangwon province saw mass deaths of pigs, goats, and rabbits, prompting a high-level veterinary and quarantine investigation and a lockdown/inspection after officials were found to have failed on disinfection and other basic controls. Health System Modernization (Imports): North Korea is also ramping up Chinese medical equipment imports as part of a broader healthcare modernization push. Health-Adjacent Risk (Bio/food safety): The livestock die-off raises fresh concerns about farm hygiene and disease prevention practices, especially where shortages and “show” inspections may undermine basic safeguards.