Mounting frictions between the two sides appear to be part of China’s efforts to disrupt the ties between South Korea and the United States but could end up drawing the two allies even closer.

Kim Jong-un’s first ten years as North Korea’s leader were marked by economic failures, halting nuclear diplomacy, and a steady ramp-up of military power.

The vote for South Korea’s next president is taking place in a fractious political environment and is likely to bring a foreign policy neophyte to power.

Denuclearization talks over the weekend ended in another stalemate, and it remains to be seen if negotiations will resume in the coming weeks.