The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has delivered a New Year's Day speech to his people. It included a warning for Washington about the reach of its nuclear arsenal. But Kim Jong-Un also offered room for diplomacy to avoid war. CGTN's Sean Callebs brings us more details.

SEAN CALLEBS WASHINGTON The New Year started with the leader of the DPRK, extending an olive branch of sorts to his southern neighbor, saying he is open to talking with the Republic of Korea about sending athletes to the upcoming winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. However at the same time, there was a blunt, harsh warning to the United States.

Fireworks over the capital of the DPRK ushered in the New Year. Kim Jong-Un, says the two Koreas are "bound by blood", and offered hope to South Korea that its duties as host of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be successful.

Wearing a western style, gray suit, the DPRK leader said the two sides should come together, and try to find a peaceful solution to the highly charged situation on the Korean Peninsula. The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has indicated he'd be willing to talk anytime, anywhere in the effort to normalize relations.

PARK SU-HYUN, SPOKESPERSON SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE "The Republic of Korea's presidential office welcomes North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's New Year speech today, in which he expressed willingness to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Olympics, and for proposed talks, acknowledging the need for improvement in inter-Korean ties. We hope the north and the south can sit down and find a solution to reduce tensions and establish peace on the Korean peninsula."

While Kim Jong-Un's conciliatory remarks were welcomed in the south, he had a harsher message for the United States, as the DPRK faces punishing United Nation's sanctions, and large scale U-S military drills in the region.

KIM JONG-UN PRESIDENT OF THE DPRK "The whole of US mainland is within our nuclear strike range. The nuclear button is always on my table. The US must realise that this is not a threat, but a reality."

The DPRK has repeatedly launched test missiles and reported success in nuclear tests over the past year -drawing worldwide ire, and harsh criticism from US President Donald Trump. The DPRK vows to continue its work to further develop nuclear weapons this year.

China is among the nations urging the DPRK to halt its weapons program, and encouraging the US to stop military maneuvers off the DPRK coast, in an effort to bring both nations to the negotiating table - and in the hope of creating a nuclear free peninsula.

SEAN CALLEBS WASHINGTON "This past weekend, a former Chair of the US Joint Chiefs said the 'US is closer' than ever to a nuclear war with the DPRK."