North Korea is not ready to open meaningful channels of communication with the United States, South Korea, or Japan, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said after a rare visit to Pyongyang on May 27. Balakrishnan, who met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, described the country as focused on self-reliance, military deterrence, and deepening ties with Russia and China, while also noting its categorical rejection of reunification with the South — a notable shift from his last visit in 2018. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul had used Singapore as a channel to convey its willingness for dialogue, expressing cautious hope that Pyongyang would "eventually" respond, even as both US-North Korea and inter-Korean relations remain effectively frozen.