Singaporeans Opened North Korea’s First Fast Food Chain Singapore has had a long and complicated relationship with North Korea – one that has often raised eyebrows in the west. Given our historically good ties with the Hermit Kingdom, we’re one of the few countries in the world to house a North Korean embassy. Even Kim Jong-un showed confidence in Singapore and our neutrality when he agreed to meet Donald Trump here in June. But why does communist North Korea trust a highly westernised and capitalist country thousands of kilometres away? As North Korea celebrates its 70th anniversary of its founding on Sunday (9 Sep), we look at Singapore’s fascinating relations with the country and how we got here. 1. A warm relationship from the start Navigating choppy waters after independence, Singaporean diplomats had the tough task of drumming up awareness and support for the island state’s sovereignty. With the Cold War in full swing, Singapore also needed to prove that it was an independent country — not a satellite or puppet state of any superpower. This is where the North Koreans come in. Singapore, which was often viewed as a western puppet state, would have benefited from the recognition of a […]
6 years ago
