North Korean leader in peace call to the South

Three weeks after what was seen as the provocative launch of a long-range rocket, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for an end to the confrontation with South Korea. In a rare New Year speech, Kim said – in the past – inter-Korean relations had led to “nothing but war”. Tensions remain high between Pyongyang and Seoul despite previous efforts to build ties following their three year war in the 1950s. During his speech, Kim also said that becoming an “economic power” would be a key priority. But there was no mention of the North’s nuclear ambitions which have antagonised its neighbours and the West. The call for better relations comes days after South Koreans elected Park Geun-hye as their new president. North Korea attempted to assassinate her father at the height of their Cold War confrontation.