In his annual New Year’s address, the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, suggested the two countries open a dialogue on easing military tensions and the possibility of the DPRK participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in the Republic of Korea.

Next came an invitation from Seoul followed by confirmation of a meeting set for Jan. 9. All this against a backdrop of tension over the DPRK’s nuclear missile program, new U.N. sanctions and continuing taunts between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump.

To discuss:

• Yonho Kim, a senior researcher with the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University
• Chad O’Carroll, CEO and founder of the Korea Risk Group
• Brian Becker, analyst and commentator on U.S.-Korea relations
• Song Zhang, chief correspondent for Shanghai Wen Hui Daily

For more:

Opinion: Why we need a new approach to North Korea https://t.co/Rigeg5mfGc pic.twitter.com/MMfZy8y8he

— POLITICO (@politico) January 5, 2018

South Korea offers high-level dialogue with North Korea on Jan. 9 in truce village of #Panmunjom after #KimJongUn delivers his New Year speech making peace overture https://t.co/5LlI0zzEw0 pic.twitter.com/hHkjVmvPfQ

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) January 3, 2018