SEOUL: North Korea's economy is showing signs of recovery as Pyongyang deepens trade and diplomatic ties with Russia and China, South Korea's unification ministry said in a report sent to AFP on Friday (Apr 17). Rigid socialist planning and high military spending have undermined growth in North Korea for years, as have sweeping international sanctions aimed at scuppering its development of nuclear weapons. China has long been the diplomatically isolated country's main economic backer, though