Kim Jong Un calls on Seoul to improve ties

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year’s address on Friday that he will make efforts to improve ties with South Korea while blaming Seoul for making unilateral demands for a regime change and deepening mistrust between the two Koreas.

     In his televised address via the North’s state-run TV station, Kim made references to building an economically strong nation as Pyongyang is slated to hold a congress of the country’s Workers’ Party in May for the first time in 36 years.

     As such, the New Year’s address, his policy speech for 2016, is seen mostly targeting North Korea’s domestic audience.

     The Korean Central Broadcasting Station and other media outlets broadcast his speech on Friday afternoon, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. Kim spoke for about half an hour. He delivered his New Year’s address live for the fourth consecutive year, but wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses for the first time.

     South Korea’s authorities have gone against the tide of improving relations, Kim said, adding that Seoul has made a case for a regime change and unilateral unification, which has in turn increased mistrust and conflict between the two countries.

     He demanded that South Korea and the U.S. stop joint military exercises. “If invasive outsiders meddle even a little, we will be ready to engage in a broad fight to unite our homeland,” he said, referring to the possibility of taking military action.

     But at the same time, Kim said that North Korea will continue to make efforts to deepen dialogue and improve ties between the two Koreas. “We will sit face-to-face with anyone wishing for reconciliation and solidarity among the Korean people as well as peace and unification. We will be ready to openly discuss issues relating to the division between North and South Koreans and the two countries’ unification.”

     He called on Seoul to abide by the spirit of the agreement reached at high-level talks between the two countries last August and refrain from taking any action that could destroy the atmosphere for dialogue.

     In response, a South Korean government official said, “The door remains open for dialogue between the two Koreas.”

     Kim “is very critical of the South Korean government’s unification policy,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at South Korea’s Sejong Institute.