North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has called for an end to confrontation between the two Koreas, in a surprise New Year speech broadcast on state media.
The Koreas are technically still at war in the absence of a peace treaty to end their 1950-53 conflict.
The address by Mr Kim appeared to take the place of the policy-setting New Year editorial published in leading state newspapers.
However, North Korea has offered olive branches before and Mr Kim's speech does not necessarily signify a change in tack from a country that vilifies the United States and US ally South Korea.
Impoverished North Korea raised tensions in the region by launching a long-range rocket in December that it said was aimed at putting a scientific satellite in orbit, drawing international condemnation.
North Korea is banned from testing missile or nuclear technology under UN sanctions imposed after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear weapons tests.
