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              Kim Jong Un Focuses on Economy in New Year's Speech

   by VOA News

   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his New Year's Day address Friday
   to focus primarily on the importance of economic development, avoiding
   any explicit threats or references to his country's nuclear weapons
   program.

   Kim, who sported new plastic-framed glasses and his signature
   shaved-sides haircut, spoke of the need to "create a turnaround in
   economic development" and raise living standards in the impoverished
   country.

   The young leader offered few specifics in his 30-minute speech, his
   fourth since taking over leadership of the country following the
   unexpected death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011. Instead, he
   largely repeated the same themes found in previous addresses.

   Kim said he was open to dialogue with any country that is open to
   "reconciliation and peace" on the Korean peninsula, while warning that
   his country was open to war if provoked by "invasive" outsiders.

   He also spoke positively of the high-level talks agreed to this year
   with South Korea, which have offered the prospect of improved
   inter-Korean relations but so far delivered little in the way of
   concrete results.

   The annual speech is always watched closely for hints of possible
   policy changes, but this year's address was particularly significant,
   because it comes just ahead of a crucial meeting of North Korea's
   ruling Workers' Party.

   The party gathering, to be held in May, is the first time the Workers'
   Party has held a congress since 1980.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/kim-jong-un-focuses-on-economy-in-new
   -year-speech/3127151.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/kim-jong-un-focuses-on-economy-in-new-year-speech/3127151.html