By The South Asia Times

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has described North Korea’s capital Pyongyang as a “clean, modern, well-organised, well-planned city” showing visible signs of economic development, while also noting a sharp shift in the country’s diplomatic posture away from engagement with the United States and South Korea.

Speaking to Singapore media on Thursday following a five-day Northeast Asia tour that included a rare visit to Pyongyang, Balakrishnan said the North Korean capital had changed significantly since his last trip eight years ago.

“In the eight years since I’ve been there, Pyongyang has continued to grow and develop and I saw new housing estates,” he said. “Literally, it is a clean, modern, well-organised, well-planned city.”

He added that residents appeared to be “busy getting on with their lives,” describing Pyongyang as comparable to modern cities across Southeast or Northeast Asia.

Balakrishnan said North Korea’s economic progress was notable given years of international isolation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he stressed that political developments had taken a more rigid direction.

He said Pyongyang now appears to maintain a “categorical rejection” of reunification with South Korea, calling it a hardened position compared with previous years. He also noted that North Korea currently shows little interest in external engagement.

“At this point in time they also appear not to be keen on any engagement externally, either with America or even with the ROK,” he said, referring to South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea.

Instead, Balakrishnan said North Korea is focusing on strengthening self-reliance and expanding its military deterrence capabilities.

His comments come amid continued diplomatic efforts in the region. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun recently said Seoul had conveyed its willingness to resume dialogue with Pyongyang through Singapore and expects the North to “eventually” respond, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Cho said there were “no visible signs” of North Korea returning to talks at present, but added that diplomatic channels remain open. He also noted that potential US–North Korea engagement would depend on Washington’s priorities and willingness to offer a viable deal.

Balakrishnan’s visit to Pyongyang followed earlier stops in China and South Korea, where he discussed regional tensions and inter-Korean relations with officials, including North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.

Despite differing assessments of North Korea’s openness to dialogue, regional governments continue to signal cautious interest in maintaining communication channels amid persistent geopolitical tensions on the Korean Peninsula.