During the Cold War, the DPRK under Kim Il Sung maintained a close relationship with the long-time military ruler of the Central African Republic, Jean-Bédel Bokassa.

[1] Diplomatic relations between the two countries began on 5 September 1969;[2][3] however, other sources cite the date 28 January 1965.

The eccentric dictator's first foreign visit after his lavish coronation was to Pyongyang in 1978 (just ahead of a Franco-African Summit in Paris), where he signed a treaty of peace and friendship with Kim.

[8] According to Korea Today, Kim Jong Il was awarded the Order of Central African Merit by the CAR in 1983.

[9][10] By March 1986, the DPRK had supplied 13 technicians to the Central African Republic, seemingly to counter South Korean influence in the country.