金正恩新年隔空喊话韩国 欲会谈

North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un says he is open to a summit with his South Korean counterpart.

The comment was made as Kim delivered a televised New Year's Day speech.

"We can resume high level talks which have been suspended and hold partial talks if the South Korean government has a sincere will to talk to improve the relationship between North and South. In addition, if the atmosphere and environment changes, there is no reason not to hold the high level talks."

Kim underscores the need to ease tension on the Korean Peninsula and says his country will make an all-out effort to promote inter-Korean dialogue in the future.

He also called on South Korea to halt what the North claims are provocative war maneuvers.

Meanwhile, South Korea's unification ministry says North Korea should respond to its earlier dialogue offer if it wants to improve inter-Korean relations.

Last year, South Korea offered to hold high-level talks with the North in January.

The latest round of senior-level contact took place in 2014 and led to the reunion of families separated by the 1950 Korean War.