The East Pyongyang Grand Theater was once described by a Reuters journalist as a “hulking, ramshackle structure the locals struggle to keep heated and lit at night.” But on February 26, 2008, the theater came to life. Packed to capacity, the theater resonated with the performance of the traditional Korean folk song “Arirang,” prompting a five-minute standing ovation for the orchestra onstage. The performers bowed repeatedly and beamed at the crowd, honored by the warm reception from North Korea’s elite. Indeed, this concert, put on by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, was anything but usual.

The Philharmonic’s trip represents the largest American contingent to set foot in North Korea since the Korean War, a striking indication of the frozen state of U.S.-North Korean diplomatic relations. The United States has never formally recognized North Korea and has refused to open up trade with the country, even 60 years after its dictatorship rose to power. But the fact that North Korea willingly invited the Philharmonic to perform within its normally closed borders has raised speculation that the repressive regime might be warming up to the West.

Most experts are less optimistic. Kang Sung Jin, Vice President of the Office of International Affairs at Korea University, is one such skeptic. “I do not think this reflects serious change toward western countries,” Kang told the Globalist. “This is a very small step and marks a measure of propaganda by showing that Kim Jong Il can do anything whenever he wants.”

Music is no match for nuclear weapons policies, a major source of tension between the U.S. and North Korea that the concert could not alleviate. As Kang explained, the United States and its allies structure their diplomatic maneuvers towards North Korea with the country’s current nuclear program in mind. “All South Korean policies for the economic development of North Korea are closely tied with the nuclear weapons program,” Kang noted, making any diplomatic headway achieved by this trip seem “very short-term.”

But while the policy experts are quick to write off the trip, the musicians involved have a different perspective. Joseph Alessi, a veteran trombonist playing in his 24th year with the Philharmonic, disagreed with the skeptics. “It really is a way to break that ice between countries that normally wouldn’t talk to one another. It is not going to solve any problems right away, but over time, if this sort of thing keeps happening, who knows?”

The concert marks the beginning of what Alessi hopes will be a long future of musical interaction between the two countries. He said that he himself is working hard to bring some North Korean music students to New York to study at the Julliard School.

Kenneth Bailes, Public Affairs Adviser for the Department of State’s Office of Korean Affairs, echoed the sentiment. “The United States and North Korea agreed in October of 2007 that the two of us were interested in trying to promote exchanges,” Bailes told the Globalist. “We are in favor of measures to open up North Korea.”

Bailes and Alessi’s observations hark back to the so-called “ping-pong diplomacy” between the U.S. and China. China’s invitation to the U.S. Table Tennis team to visit the country and play against the Chinese team was one factor that led to eased tensions and President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to Beijing.

Kang, for one, doesn’t buy the comparison. “This is quite different,” he remarked, arguing that even if North Korea is willing to open its doors culturally, relations with both South Korea and the United States will remain stagnant.

Despite the pessimism, any positive exchange between two countries as deadlocked as the U.S. and North Korea is meaningful. Alessi was quick to point out some promise: “I’ve heard through the grapevine that they want us to come back there. Yes, these people have suffered, yes the leader is a horrible dictator, and I’m sure there are many things that have to be overcome. But you know—one has to start somewhere.”

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