SEOUL
• A new year, a new look for Mr Kim Jong Un?

For his New Year's speech, Mr Kim, the leader of North Korea, traded his usual atonal, Mao-collared outfits for what looked like the sort of silver-grey suit and matching tie that come straight from the elder statesmen costume department.

It was a choice seemingly calculated to, well, dress up his message of outreach to South Korea, in which he urged talks over the North's possible participation in the Winter Olympics in the South next month.

North Korea's top leaders have been known for their drab, peasant-style outerwear, with Mr Kim's father Kim Jong Il favouring Mao-style jackets. But his son, in addition to ramping up his country's weapons of mass destruction, appears intent on modernising his country's look, too.

"He has dressed like that before - a banker, wearing Armani," said Dr Robert Kelly, a political science professor at Pusan National University in South Korea. "There has been a lot of speculation that he is trying to make North Korea look more modern and connected. His father's Mao suits looked ridiculous in the 21st century."

Mr Kim's lightly striped jacket came with a matching tie and slacks. His trademark hairstyle was carefully coiffed and, in a twist, it was shorn above the ears, leaving what has been dubbed a "trapezoid shaped" haircut.

The soft tones of his outfit did not carry through to his message, in which he boasted of having "a nuclear button on the desk in my office".</s>WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump boasted that he has a bigger and more powerful “nuclear button” than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un does — but the president doesn’t actually have a physical button.

The president’s Tuesday evening tweet came in response to Kim’s New Year’s address, in which he repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a “nuclear button” on his office desk and warned that “the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike.”

Trump mocked that assertion, writing, “Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”

But despite ratcheting up the tension, Trump doesn’t really have a nuclear button.

The process for launching a nuclear strike is secret and complex and involves the use of a nuclear “football,” which is carried by a rotating group of military officers everywhere the president goes and is equipped with communication tools and a book with prepared war plans.

If the president were to order a strike, he would identify himself to military officials at the Pentagon with codes unique to him. Those codes are recorded on a card known as the “biscuit” that is carried by the president at all times. He would then transmit the launch order to the Pentagon and Strategic Command.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump sounded open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after Kim made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Year’s address. But Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations insisted talks would not be meaningful unless the North was getting rid of its nuclear weapons.

In a morning tweet, Trump said the U.S.-led campaign of sanctions and other pressure were beginning to have a “big impact” on North Korea. He referred to the recent, dramatic escape of at least two North Korean soldiers across the heavily militarized border into South Korea. He also alluded to Kim’s comments Monday that he was willing to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics, which will be hosted by South Korea next month.

“Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not — we will see!” Trump said, using his derisive moniker for the young North Korean leader.

In response to Kim’s overture, South Korea Tuesday offered high-level talks Jan. 9 at the shared border village of Panmunjom to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve overall ties. The South said Wednesday that North Korea’s state-run radio station announced the North would reopen a cross-border communication channel.

If there are talks, they would be the first formal dialogue between the Koreas since December 2015. Relations have plunged as the North has accelerated its nuclear and ballistic missile development that now poses a direct threat to America, South Korea’s crucial ally.

The U.S. administration, however, voiced suspicions that Kim was seeking to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington. Pyongyang could view a closer relationship with Seoul as a way for reducing its growing international isolation and relief from sanctions that are starting to bite the North’s meager economy.

“We won’t take any of the talks seriously if they don’t do something to ban all nuclear weapons in North Korea,” U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters at the United Nations. “We consider this to be a very reckless regime. We don’t think we need a Band-Aid, and we don’t think we need to smile and take a picture.”

North Korea has been punished with unprecedented sanctions at the U.N. over its weapons programs, and Haley warned Tuesday of more measures if the North conducts another missile test.

South Korea’s liberal President Moon Jae-in has supported Trump’s pressure campaign against North Korea, but he’s less confrontational than the U.S. president and favors dialogue to ease the North’s nuclear threats. Moon has long said he sees the Pyeongchang Olympics as a chance to improve inter-Korean ties.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. would continue to put “maximum pressure” on North Korea to give up its nukes. South Korea shares that same goal, she said.

Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report.</s>SEOUL, South Korea — Kim Jong Un Monday repeated claims that he could hit the U.S. with a nuclear weapon, saying that its deterrent is "irreversible" and would prevent President Donald Trump from starting a war.

"It's reality, not a threat, that the nuclear button is always on my desk," Kim said in a televised new year address. "The U.S. can never start a war against myself and our nation now." The U.S. president is also always near a similar button.

South Korean television stations stopped broadcasting the speech before it ended.

Kim's Jan. 1 speeches have previously set the direction for tensions on the Korean Peninsula. A year ago, he said North Korea was in its "last stage" of preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, and he ended up launching three of them.

Besides those tests, North Korea also detonated its sixth and most powerful nuclear device and fired more than a dozen rockets. South Korea assessed that the most recent launch in late November of a new Hwasong-15 ICBM — its largest yet — could potentially reach Washington, though additional analysis was needed to determine whether it was capable of re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.

Last year was also notable for a war of words between Kim and Trump, who repeatedly threatened military action to stop the rogue state's nuclear program. Trump referred to Kim's weight in one Twitter post, prompting the North Korean leader to call Trump a "dotard" and warn of the "highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history."

Even so, Trump has also floated the idea of friendship with Kim on occasion, and has called on him to "make a deal" on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The United Nations Security Council last month approved its strongest sanctions yet on North Korea—a move that Pyongyang described as an "act of war." In recent days, Trump has warned that alleged illicit Chinese oil sales to North Korea may jeopardize a peaceful resolution to the confrontation. China has denied the accusations.</s>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday taunted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warning Kim about the US’ nuclear capabilities as tensions worsen between the two nations.

“North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” Trump tweeted.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

The evening message followed more than a dozen others Trump had sent throughout the day on issues ranging from The New York Times’ coverage of his administration to conflict in the Middle East.

Kim had said Monday in his annual New Year’s Day address that “The entire mainland of the US is within the range of our nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office. They should accurately be aware that this is not a threat but a reality.”</s>The alarming playground taunt comes after the North Korean despot warned that he can nuke anywhere in the USA by pressing a button on his desk. Donald Trump tweeted: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. “Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” The sabre-rattling tweet has prompted fears that Mr Trump and Kim Jong-un are pushing the Korean peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war.

Eliot A Cohen, who was counselor to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, tweeted: “Spoken like a petulant ten year old. “But one with nuclear weapons - for real - at his disposal. How responsible people around him, or supporting him, can dismiss this or laugh it off is beyond me.” There are fears that Mr Trump's mockery could enrage Kim Jong-un who gave mixed messages in his New Year’s address to North Korea. In the address, he declared: “The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat.”

Despite provoking Mr Trump with the threat, the North Korean leader said the weapons will only be used if North Korea’s security is threatened. The dictator also hinted at sending a team to the Olympics in Seoul and starting towards peace talks with South Korea. Just hours after Mr Trump’s sabre-rattling tweet, North Korea reopened a long-closed border hotline with South Korea today. Frank Jannuzi, who took part in the Clinton administration’s talks with North Korea, said that the call for dialogue with South Korea was “critically important”.

He told PBS that North Korea claims to have established a nuclear deterrent, adding: “It perhaps opens the door to dialogue first with South Korea and hopefully down the road with the United States.” Asked if North Korea is driving a wedge between South Korean and the USA, he said: “I think we shouldn’t worry too much. “The South Korean-US alliance is as strong as I have ever seen it in 30 years of looking at that special partnership.” Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said that they were hearing reports that North Korea might be preparing for another missile test.</s>Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Tuesday taunted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warning Kim about US nuclear capabilities as tensions worsen between the two nations.

"North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Trump tweeted.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the "Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times." Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

The evening message followed more than a dozen others Trump had sent throughout the day on issues ranging from The New York Times' coverage of his administration to conflict in the Middle East.

Kim's address came amid growing tension

Kim said Monday in his annual New Year's Day address that "The entire mainland of the US is within the range of our nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office. They should accurately be aware that this is not a threat but a reality."

In the address, Kim also expressed a desire for a peaceful resolution with South Korea, a break from the aggressive language he used to threaten the US.

Trump, as part of his Tuesday morning tweetstorm, said the potentially warm gesture to South Korea from Kim is "perhaps" good news, "perhaps not," and referred to "sanctions and 'other' pressures" on North Korea.

Sanctions and "other" pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said at the White House news briefing that the US approach to North Korea had not changed, that the US continues to regard North Korea as a global threat and seeks an international solution while keeping "all of our options on the table."

Trump has repeatedly made statements about North Korea via Twitter. The President said it was a waste of time for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to negotiate with North Korea -- referring to Kim in the tweet as "Little Rocket Man" -- shortly after the US diplomat said he hoped to de-escalate the standoff through talks. After a North Korean statement insulted Trump by calling him a "dotard," the US President tweeted that he would "NEVER" call the North Korean leader "short and fat," while also saying that "maybe someday" he would be Kim's friend.

South Korea initially receptive to possible dialogue

Recent years have seen North Korea display increasing strength in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development, while Kim makes provocative statements threatening to attack his enemies. In November, North Korea claimed it had the capability to attack any part of the US mainland.

The UN Security Council has voted to ratchet up sanctions in response to the continued development of North Korea's nuclear program. Last month, the US conducted another round of military exercises with South Korea, which Kim called for South Korea to end in his New Year's statement.

But Kim's call for talks between the two countries at the beginning of the year struck many observers as noteworthy, and South Korean leadership has been receptive to Kim's potential openness to dialogue. The spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said South Korea also hoped for a resolution between the two countries.

Moon said he would look to restore communication between the South and the isolated North, and that he welcomed North Korea participating in the Winter Olympic Games, which South Korea is hosting next month.</s>President Donald Trump on Tuesday taunted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warning Kim about the US' nuclear capabilities as tensions worsen between the two nations.

"North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Trump tweeted.

The evening message followed more than a dozen others Trump had sent throughout the day on issues ranging from The New York Times' coverage of his administration to conflict in the Middle East.

Kim had said Monday in his annual New Year's Day address that "The entire mainland of the US is within the range of our nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office. They should accurately be aware that this is not a threat but a reality."</s>SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un warned the United States Monday he has a “nuclear button” on his table but offered an apparent olive branch to South Korea in a New Year message, saying he was prepared for talks and may send a team to the Winter Olympics there.

Kim struck a generally defiant note after a year of rising tensions marked by the North’s multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test — purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

“We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment,” he said in his annual televised address to the nation.

He reiterated his claim that his country had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state but insisted the expansion of the weapons program was a defensive measure.

“We should always keep readiness to take immediate nuclear counter-attacks against the enemy’s scheme for a nuclear war.”

The North claims it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from a hostile Washington and has striven to create a warhead capable of targeting the US mainland with an atomic warhead.

US President Donald Trump has responded to each test with his own amplified declarations, threatening to “totally destroy” Pyongyang and taunting Kim, saying he was on “a suicide mission.”

But far from persuading Kim to give up his nuclear drive, analysts say Trump’s tough talk may have prompted the North Korean leader to push through with his dangerous quest.

“(The North) can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire,” Kim said Monday.

“The nuclear button is always on my table. The US must realize this is not blackmail but reality.”

‘Make a breakthrough’

 When asked for a response to Kim’s claim that he had a nuclear button on his desk, Trump said “We’ll see, we’ll see,” in comments to reporters during the New Year’s Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Kim also sugared his speech Monday with a conciliatory tone towards Seoul, indicating for the first time that the North is considering taking part in the South’s Winter Olympics next month.

“(The Olympics) will serve as a good chance to display our Korean people’s grace toward the world and we sincerely hope the Games will be a success,” he said.

The North and the South should “depart from the past, improve relations and take decisive measures to make a breakthrough in efforts to achieve reunification,” he said.

“Should the Olympics be staged successfully, it will contribute to peace not only on the Korean peninsula but in the region and the world as well,” it said in a statement.

Some analysts said Kim may be trying indirectly to lower the temperature with Washington.

At a time when the risk of a US pre-emptive strike is “higher than ever,” Koh Yu-Hwan, political science professor at Dongguk University, said the speech indicated Kim was using the Olympics gesture to “shift from confrontation to peaceful coexistence with the United States.”

“When he said a nuclear launch button is always on his desk, he is hinting it is not necessary for the North to stage nuclear or ICBM tests in the foreseeable future,” Koh told AFP, adding however that Kim also wanted to build “massive nuclear retaliation capabilities.”

Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul said Kim “is extending an olive branch toward the South as the US is expected to keep up with pressure and sanctions on the country throughout this year… as a whole the emphasis is on peace rather than confrontation.”

In December the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed new, US-drafted sanctions against Pyongyang, restricting oil supplies vital for the impoverished state.

The most recent set of sanctions, which the North slammed as an “act of war”, also received the backing of China — the country’s sole major ally and economic lifeline.

Observers say Washington must open talks with the North to defuse tensions but that remains a challenge.

Pyongyang has always said it will only deal with the US from a position of equality as a nuclear state. Washington has long insisted that it will not accept a nuclear-armed North.</s>Kim Jong Un warned the United States of the reality of North Korea’s nuclear forces in his annual New Year’s Day address.

The North Korean leader specified that he has a nuclear button on his desk, but he won’t use it to attack unless he feels threatened, The Washington Post reported.

“The United States can never fight a war against me or our state,” he said in his speech. “It should properly know that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike and a nuclear button is always on the desk of my office, and this is just a reality, not a threat.”

North Korea conducted its most powerful nuclear test in September, according to NBC. North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test showed that it has the capacity to send an intercontinental ballistic missile 8,100 miles — far enough to hit most of the continental United States. – READ MORE</s>Kim Jong Un has used his New Year message to warn the US that he has a "nuclear button" on his desk that is always in reach.

In his address, North Korea's leader said his country's nuclear forces are now a reality and not just a threat.

Mr Kim also proclaimed that the isolated state achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces in 2017.

The speech, broadcast on North Korean television on Monday morning, suggests escalating tensions over the nation's weapons programme are not going to die down in the coming year.

He reiterated that North Korea has developed the capability to strike all of the US mainland with its nuclear weapons, and claimed this meant that America would never be able to start a war against the country.

During the speech, he emphasised "these weapons will be used only if our security is threatened".

:: Sky Views - How to avoid war with North Korea

Mr Kim also announced that the country is going to focus on "mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment" in 2018.

Striking a conciliatory note regarding relations with neighbouring South Korea, Mr Kim said he was "open to dialogue" with Seoul.

"When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment. Both the North and the South should make efforts," he added.

He also suggested Pyongyang may send a delegation to the Winter Olympic Games, which is due to be held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang in February.

The US State Department is yet to respond to Mr Kim's New Year address.

Asked by reporters to comment on his speech, Donald Trump simply said "we'll see, we'll see" as he strolled into a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Last week, the UN Security Council unanimously passed new sanctions in response to North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile test - restricting vital oil supplies.

Fears of a new conflict on the Korean peninsula were raised after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September - defying international warnings and sanctions.

In response, North Korea's official news agency described the sanctions as "an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the region".

Days later, it emerged that a North Korean soldier who defected to the South in 2017 has anthrax antibodies in his bloodstream - sparking fears that Mr Kim's regime could use the disease as a biological weapon.
U.S. President Donald Trump responds to Kim Jong-un's claim of having North Korea's nuclear missile launch button on his desk, boasting that the size of the nuclear missile launch button on his own desk is larger and more powerful than Kim's.