Singapore's foreign minister said North Korea does not seem keen to engage with the United States, South Korea or Japan, focusing instead on self-reliance and military deterrence.
Vivian Balakrishnan spoke to Singaporean media after a visit to both Koreas on May 26-27. His last trip to North Korea was in 2018.
He noted that North Korea has closer ties with Russia while China remains indispensable, but Pyongyang is not ready to open communication channels with the US, South Korea, or Japan.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have repeatedly expressed interest in talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Pyongyang's ties with Moscow deepened after North Korea sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Kursk. China has also resumed passenger train services and flights with North Korea.
