Introduction
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has undertaken a policy of Pyongjin (“parallel track”) in seeking to simultaneously develop its nuclear weapons capacity and its economy. However, due to deteriorating relations between Beijing and Pyongyang, North Korean leadership is reluctant to emulate the Chinese economic model and is averse to accepting aid under South Korea’s policy of Trustpolitik. Recent developments suggest that North Korea is looking for new economic models derived from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, particularly Vietnam and Singapore. In so doing, it is apparent that North Korea is testing the waters for re-integration into the international community.
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