Kim Jong-un vows to raise living standards, warns ‘provocateurs’

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said raising living standards was his top priority in a low-key annual New Year’s address on Friday that avoided any explicit reference to the country’s nuclear weapons programme.

The 30-minute televised speech was not without the normal bellicose rhetoric — threatening a “sacred war” if provoked and stressing the need to develop “varied” military strike options — but the clear thrust was economic development in the isolated, cash-strapped state.

“The Workers Party of Korea gives top priority to the issue of improving people’s living standards among millions of other national tasks,” Mr Kim said.

“We must create a turnaround in economic development,” he added.

Mr Kim has issued similar calls in his three previous New Year addresses and, as on those occasions, Friday’s speech offered little in terms of specific policy for achieving his economic objectives.

On relations with South Korea, Mr Kim said he was open to talks but warned Seoul against any activity that might threaten a tentative cross-border agreement reached in August to reduce tensions.