N Korea calls for end to hostile ties with US

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SEOUL, Jan 1 (AFP): North Korea on Friday called for an end to hostile relations with the United States, vowing to work towards a nuclear-free peninsula seven months after its last atomic test angered the world community.
The call was made in a New Year joint editorial of the communist country's state newspapers. North Korean people must learn and memorise the editorial, which is seen as ideological guidance for the year ahead.
"The fundamental task for ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of Asia is to put an end to the hostile relationship between the DPRK (North Korea) and the USA," the editorial said.
US envoy Stephen Bosworth visited the communist nation last month and reached a "common understanding" on the need to resume the talks, which group the two Koreas, Japan, China, Russia and the US. However, no date has been fixed.