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North Korea does not seem keen to engage with the United States, South Korea or Japan and is focused on building up its self-reliance and military deterrence, Singapore’s foreign minister said following a trip to the reclusive state.
According to a transcript shared by the foreign ministry, Vivian Balakrishnan spoke to Singaporean media on Thursday after a visit to both Koreas respectively on May 26 and 27. His last trip to North Korea was in 2018.
“What’s clear is that they’re certainly in a closer relationship now with Russia. China remains indispensable to it, but they are not yet ready to open up significant channels of communication with the United States or with ROK and Japan at this point in time,” he added.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have repeatedly expressed interest in holding talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
