North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un To Exert ‘Aggressive Efforts’ To Improve Relations With South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in his New Year's message said they are ready to make "aggressive efforts" to improve relations with South Korea. Yonhap News Agency reported Friday that Kim reportedly said North Korea is open to have talks with its rival in an open-minded approach for confederacy.

"We will make aggressive efforts to hold talks and improve relations with South Korea," Kim said during his speech. "We are willing to have talks in an open-minded manner with anyone who wants peace and unification."

The two Koreas reached an unusual agreement in August to defuse military tension after a landmine blast near the inter-Korean border harmed two South Korean soldiers.

"South Korea should honor the spirit of the inter-Korean agreement in August," Kim said.

Kim's New Year speech came days after a high-ranking North Korean official died in a car crash Tuesday.

The Telegraph reported Friday that the North Korean leader turned emotional when he attended the funeral of Kim Yang Gon on Wednesday, as per state-run news agency KCNA.

The late North Korean official was one of the two senior officials who were present during talks with South Korea in August.

"He could hardly repress his bitter grief for a long while, his hands put on the cold body of the revolutionary comrade," the news agency reported.

On the other hand, Kim in his speech called for North Korea's economic growth, adding that the country should get ready for Workers' Party of Korea meeting which will be in May. The upcoming gathering with be the first Congress after three decades.

Reports have revealed that Kim may announce new sets of policies and perform a major reshuffle during the meeting.

The North Korean leader tackled several issues in his New Year's message but refused to touch the country's nuclear weapons program issue.