S. Korean leadership sees Kim Jong Un's New Year's speech positively

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S. Korea's ruling Democratic Party saw positive signs in the New Year address made by Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

In what many saw as an overture, the DPRK leader expressed his willingness to discuss sending a delegation to S. Korea for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

The mascot for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Soohorang is seen during the Pyeongchang Winter Festival, February 10, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The Winter Olympics are scheduled to kick off in February in S. Korea's eastern county of Pyeongchang.

The S. Korean party spokesperson said the governing party viewed Kim's address positively, calling for the S. Korean government to suggest a ministerial-level dialogue with the DPRK.

Kim in his New Year speech said that his country will take the necessary measures to take part in the sports event, including inter-Korean talks.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a New Year's Day speech in Pyongyang, January 1, 2018. /Reuters Photo‍

Kim also said the two sides should reduce the highly tense military confrontation to create a peaceful environment for reconciliation.

The new S. Korean government under President Moon Jae-in, who took office in May, had offered to hold talks to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and discuss humanitarian issues on the reunion of families separated between the two Koreas.

People in S. Korea and the DPRK have been banned from exchanging letters and visiting each other since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice. The peninsula has technically been in a state of war since then.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency