
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is expected to give a significant policy speech on New Year's day where he may signal a shift in his denuclearisation policy after talks earlier this year with the US stalled, say geopolitical analysts.
Kim has given the US until the end of the year to come up with concessions to ease crippling sanctions.
North Korea has since returned to testing short-range missiles.
Al Jazeera's Rob Mcbride reports from Seoul, South Korea.