In a surprising turn of events linked to the Winter Olympics, held in South Korea in February, North Korea first invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to a summit with Kim, planned for late next month in the demilitarized zone that divides the Korean Peninsula. “Thanks to the proactive measure and peace-loving proposal made by the DPRK, dramatic atmosphere for reconciliation has been created in relations between the north and the south of Korea and there has been a sign of change also in the DPRK-U.S. relations,” the KCNA commentary said, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s official name. Trump's announcement earlier this month that he was willing to meet with the North's young leader -after an invitation conveyed by envoys from the South - triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity. AAP

The commentary in the North's official news agency KCNA late Tuesday did not directly mention the summits but noted the "dramatic atmosphere for reconciliation" with the South and "a sign of change" with the US. South Korean officials who met with Kim in Pyongyang to discuss the upcoming summits said he indicated he is willing to discuss denuclearization, though there has been no confirmation of that from Pyongyang. "Such rubbish as 'result of sanctions and pressure'... spread by hostile forces is just as meaningless as a dog barking at the moon," it said, urging "prudence" for all parties involved.
North Korean state media KCNA claims that, as a result of its nuclear weapons program, there has been "dramatic atmosphere for reconciliation" with South Korea, and "a sign of change" from the United States.