Seoul Welcomes Kim's New Year Address - Reports

TOKYO (Sputnik) - The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has welcomed the New Year's address by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a signal of his commitment to resolve the crisis on the peninsula, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the relevant statement.

According to the Yonhap news agency, the office said that the address reflected Kim’s desire to develop relations with both Seoul and Washington.

"Chairman Kim's firm commitment is expected to have a positive effect on resolving the Korean Peninsula issue smoothly in the new year," spokesman for the office Kim Eui-kyeom said, as quoted by the agency.

READ MORE: Kim Says N Korea's 'New Path' Inevitable if US Insists on Unilateral Action

In his New Year's address to the nation, Kim confirmed that he was ready to improve relations with South Korea and the United States, and meet with US President Donald Trump "at any time."

He, however, added that if Washington failed to deliver on its promises and continued enforcing sanctions, Pyongyang would have "no other choice but take a different path." In particular, Kim urged Washington not to deploy strategic weapons to South Korea and not to conduct drills that could be aimed against Pyongyang.

In his address, Kim also conveyed greetings to South Korean people, noting the trend toward reconciliation, which resulted from his meetings with Moon in 2018. He also suggested reviving the operation of the South Korean industrial park near the North Korean city of Kaesong and the Mount Kumgang tourist resort.