South Korean citizens watch a television report on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year address, at Seoul Station in central Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap

NK leader urges end to Seoul-Washington joint drills

By Lee Min-hyung

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un showed strong willingness to restart the suspended inter-Korean tourism and business projects this year in his New Year address, Tuesday.

But resuming these projects is impossible under the current sanctions regime led by the U.S. Observers here say he intends to get sanctions relief from the U.S. through projects with South Korea.

"I am willing to resume tourism to Mount Geumgang and reopen the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (both in North Korea) for nothing," Kim said.

The remark came against the backdrop of the rapidly thawing inter-Korean relations. Starting last year, the young leader of the North offered to join hands with the South for complete denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Last year, Kim held three rounds of summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and reached a series of agreements centering on a bilateral pledge for peace and tension easing on the peninsula.