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President Donald Trump says he’s ready to meet again with Kim Jong Un to discuss North Korea’s nuclear weapons. In a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Trump said he’d just received a letter from the North Korean leader. (Jan. 2)
AP

SEOUL — North Korea sent a warning to the U.S. on Thursday to avoid “meddling” in its affairs with South Korea and criticized Washington’s “unreasonable attitude” and “hostile” policies.

An editorial in the country’s state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper blamed the U.S. for stagnation in the relationship between North and South Korea, claiming that “the United States does not want to see the improvement and development of the inter-Korean relations.”

While relations between Pyongyang and Washington remain at an impasse over North Korea’s nuclear disarmament and the lifting of international sanctions, Seoul has been pushing forward in peace gestures and engagement with the North.

The two Koreas have removed 10 guard posts in the demilitarized zone that divides the peninsula and recently held a groundbreaking ceremony on a project to connect their railroad systems. But that project and others like it cannot move much further until the U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea are lifted.

The North has also been eager to reopen a jointly run factory park in its border town of Kaesong and to resume South Korean tours to the resort area of Mount Kumgang.

“We will never tolerate the intervention and interference of the U.S. that tries to check the Korean nation’s reconciliation, unity and reunification while trying to subordinate the north-south relations to its own tastes and interests,” said the editorial.

“This is our warning in New Year,” the article concluded.

The sharp words came just a day after President Donald Trump said that he had received a “great letter” from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and that the two would like to meet for a second time.

More: North Korea warns US sanctions could ‘block the path to denuclearization forever’

Speaking to reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said that he and Kim have made “tremendous progress” and have “really established a good relationship.” He also claimed credit for maintaining peace on the Korean peninsula, saying that if it weren’t for the efforts of his administration, “you’d be having a nice, big, fat war in Asia.”

However, Trump said he wasn’t “in any rush” to hold the second meeting.

Trump has frequently praised Kim, saying in September that the North’s leader was “terrific” and that the two “fell in love” after their historic summit in Singapore last June.

That summit produced an agreement that North Korea would work toward a “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” while the U.S. promised to provide security guarantees.

But more than six months later, there has been little tangible progress.

Pyongyang continues to look for relief from punishing international sanctions and an agreement for a formal end to the Korean War, while Washington is holding out for complete denuclearization, sticking to its “maximum pressure” strategy on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

In a televised New Year’s Day address, Kim said he was ready to meet again with Trump “anytime” but delivered a warning not to test North Korea’s patience over sanctions, threatening that it may have to find a “new way” to defend its interests.

If the U.S. “persists in imposing sanctions and pressure against our Republic, we may be compelled to find a new way for defending the sovereignty of the country and the supreme interests of the state,” Kim said.

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Children jumprope and play folk games in front of the
A man walks past a sign for underground pedestrian
Men read books at one of the reading rooms at The Grand
North Koreans sit inside a trolley bus in downtown
North Koreans wait for a trolley bus at a bus stop
North Koreans walk on a pedestrian crossing bridge
A North Korean woman talks on her mobile phone as she
North Korean men walk past portraits of their late
Korean People's Army soldiers leave after bowing before
Pyongyang residents prepare to lay flowers at the statues
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Commuters ride a tram in Pyongyang, Dec. 2, 2018
A man stands before the city skyline on a viewing deck
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Cuba's President
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and Cuba's President
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People cross a road in Pyongyang, Oct. 22, 2018.
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A man looks out from a tram in Pyongyang, Oct. 22,
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and his
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A North Korean subway officer stands next to a train
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A portrait of Supreme leader Kim Il Sung on a float
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Participants perform during the "Glorious Country"
North Korean youths use cards to form the number 70
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Korean People's Army tanks take part in a military
Korean People's Army soldiers march during a mass rally
Korean People's Army soldiers march during a military
Participants perform in a 'Mass Games' artistic and
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Kumsanpho Fish
North Korean athletes, headed by North Korean Vice
Kim Jong Un chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea,
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Students take part in a mass dance event marking the
Students pose for a photo after paying their respects
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A girl performs on stage at Mangyongdae Children's
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A man carries a taxidermy falcon on the basket of his
Korean People's Army soldiers bow before the statues
People leave flowers as they pay their respects in
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Women clean a square outside the Kumsusan Palace of
Animal specimens decorate a class room for biology
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People walk on the street near the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang,
South Korean women's basketball players practice at
A worker at Okryugwan restaurant in Pyongyang serves
A South Korean journalist has their identity checked
Fans cheer during an inter-Korean basketball match
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An employee in traditional dress stands at the entrance
A North Korean woman pauses during a visit at a trick
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Passengers ride a trolley in Pyongyang, North Korea
A North Korea People's Army (KPA) soldier stands at
This is a demolition 'ceremony' of North Korea's Punggye-ri
Kim Jong Un inspects the completed Koam-Tapchon Railways
Kim Jong Un inspects the completed Koam-Tapchon Railways
South Korean journalists arrive at North Korea's Kalma
A traffic policeman checks his watch outside the central
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Secretary of State
Wang Yi, state councelor and foreign minister of the
This is the former North Korean Workers Party Headquarters
This is the former North Korean Workers Party Headquarters
Korean People's Army soldiers arrive to pay their respects
This is the Pyongyang city skyline and the Taedong
Staff members stand before preserved 'flat-fish' in
Spectators walk across Kim Il Sung square as they arrive
Visitors by the gate of the Central zoo in Pyongyang,
People hold a dance party to celebrate the 106th birth
This photo released by the North Korean Central News
This April 15, 2018 picture released from North Korea's
Spectators watch fireworks over the Taedong river during
Students participate in a 'mass dance' event outside
This is the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, April
Students participate in a 'mass dance' event outside
A light show displays a North Korean flag on top the
Runners compete in the Pyongyang International Marathon
Children fly kites during Lunar New Year festivities
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un shakes hands with South
The North Korean delegation of athletes, supporters
Visitors take smartphone photos at the '8th National
A chef prepares a dish during a demonstration at the
A foreign visitor stands for a photo with a Korean
This photo taken on Feb. 8, 2018 and released on Feb.
North Korea's military march in Pyongyang and put its
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, dressed in black,
North Korea military stand at attention, Feb. 8, 2018,
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)
Hwasong-15 ballistic missiles are shown during the
The military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of
People cheer as military vehicles pass by during the
North Korea put some of its military hardware and soldiers
In this image made from video by North Korea's KRT,
The satellite Deimos-2 captured this photo of Pyongyang
In this image made from video released by KRT, North
In this image made from video released by KRT on Feb.
In this an image made from video by North Korea's
In this image made from video by North Korea's KRT,
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A 'super blood blue moon' rises above the Ryugyong
Schoolchildren shovel snow Jan. 22, 2018, in Pyongyang
Women use drums and flags to cheer on commuters during
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A girl walks past the Taedong Gate in Pyongyang, Jan.
A group of officials of ministries and national institutions
A mass rally organizes in the Kim Il Sung Square vowing
Participants perform mass rhythmic exercise on the
Children stand before an ice sculpture at the Pyongyang
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Passengers wait for their flights in the departures
Fireworks usher in the New Year in Pyongyang, Jan.
Children play as others gather on Kim Il Sung Square
People offer flowers to the statues of their late leaders
A street in central Pyongyang, Nov. 15, 2017
Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers bow before statues
Song Song-Hui (C) sits with relatives gathered at her
This Dec. 8, 2017 photo released from North Korea's
North Korean soldiers attend a mass rally in Kim Il-Sung
This Dec. 12, 2017 photo released from North Korea's
In a photo taken on Nov. 19, 2017, a woman and child
In a photo taken on Nov. 18, 2017, a woman carrying
North Koreans attend a mass rally in Kim Il-Sung Square
In a photo taken on Nov. 21, 2017, a man pushes a bicycle
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A man waits to cross a street in Rason. at the northeastern
This is a photo released by the North Korean Central
This photo was released by the North Korean Central
A sailor stands on his boat in the port in Rason at
This Nov. 29, 2017, image provided by the North Korean
Ra In-Hae, 46, in her new home, portraits of late North
A woman shields herself from the cold at the port in
People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing
People watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean
In this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry,
North Korean soldiers look at the South side near the
Vendors prepare flowers for Mother's Day at a flower
North Korean soldiers look at the South side at the
In this photo taken through the window of a car, students
People dance in a park in Pyongyang, Nov.15, 2017.
This is a North Korean military guard outpost seen
This undated picture released from North Korea's official
These two ride a bicycle as they pass along a street
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Amateur horse riders compete during the 'Autumn Race-Goers
A salesperson of 'Jilin Provincial Muziwu Daily Necessities'
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Men and women participate in a mass dance event marking
Men ride on a make shift raft to transport logs down
Participants described as 'working people, youth, and
A man shoots an air-powered rifle at a shooting stall
A propaganda troupe perform a flag-waving routine outside
Pedestrians pass through a square outside the central
Visitors try a ride at an amusement fair in Pyongyang,
Participants of a mass rally shout slogans as they
Visitors look at kitchens on display at the 13th International
A woman carries a child across a road in Pyongyang,
A Chinese vendor hands scarves to North Korean customers
A woman pulls a trolley across a street before a taxi
Two men play pool at a bowling alley in Pyongyang,
Service persons of the Ministry of People's Security
Spectators gather to watch a public news brodcast of
Dancers perform during the 20th ITF World Taekwondo
A woman stands at a street-side flower stall in Pyongyang,
Anglers compete during a fishing contest at Pothong
A man crosses a street outside the central railway
A girl leans on a lamp post outside the central railway
Spectators listen to a television news brodcast of
The skyline of Pyongyang, Sept. 20, 2017.
This undated picture released from North Korea's official
A football match is played on a pitch between buildings
A group of North Korean tourists stand before the city
A North Korean soldier stands on the bank of the Yalu
Fireworks go off while Pyongyang residents and military
This coastline (top) above the barbed-wire fence is
Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers cheer while watching
Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers attend a mass celebration
The sun rises over North Korea and the Yalu river which
North Koreand rest on a wall on the bank of the Yalu
North Korean soldiers stand at a fence on the bank
The North Korean coastline can be seen behind the barbed-wire
Two North Koreans help each other wash in the Yalu
A North Korean man brings his boat up to a Chinese
North Korean men unload a trailer on the bank of the
A North Korean soldier stands on a loading ramp on
Korean People's Army soldiers applaud as they watch
People fill the square of the main railway station
This picture from North Korea's official Korean Central
Cashiers work at the Potonggang department store in
Staff at the Potonggang department store stock shelves
People wave banners and shout slogans as they attend
Pedestrians and vehicles pass before the portraits
Awoman stands at the entrance to a supermarket in Pyongyang
Steel worker Kang Chol-Su (38) poses for a portrait
A hostess cooks clams using gasoline, at the West Sea
A photo taken on July 22, 2017 shows beach-goers dancing
Swimmers gather in a wave pool at a water park in a
A group of men look towards the West Sea Barrage beach
Workers repair a section of the 'West Sea Barrage'
North Korean women push their cart and bicycles over
A group of youths play tennis in a public square in
North Korean men work on farm fields along the Pyongyang-Wonsan
North Korean women make their way across a road at
Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers walk past portraits
North Korean school girls stop at a kiosk selling flowers
Soldiers gather in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang
Soldiers watch fireworks in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang,
The sky is overcast in Pyongyang July 17, 2017. The
North Koreans ride in a crowded electric trolley, which
Soldiers of the Korean People's Army (KPA) watch a
A primary school student An Jae-Gwon (10) poses for
A woman stops by a kiosk selling gifts and flowers
Pedestrians walk along a residential area at dusk in
Two boys row their boat on the Pothong River where
People walk cross the Pothong river via a suspended
A waitress moves a dining chair at a restaurant terrace
People are are silhouette as they start their morning
Staff members from a boat restaurant on the Taedong
A Korean People's Army (KPA) soldier gestures as he
Men push their bicycles past the portraits of late
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un at a photo session
An elderly woman follows behind children pushing their
A farmer transplants rice seedlings in a field in Pyongyang,
Former NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman arrives
People watch a screen showing news coverage of the
People attend the 20th Pyongyang Spring International
This undated picture released from North Korea's official
People gather at a street-side newsstand in Pyongyang
This is a test launch of the ground-to-ground medium
Women soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during
An elderly man is silhouetted against a model of the
Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military
Boys play on the sidewalk along Changjon Street lined
Men and women walk along a residential area in Pyongyang,
A woman is silhouetted against the sky as she exercises
North Koreans sit at the back of a truck as it drives
A man rides his bicycle along the Taedong River bank
A traffic police woman hands over her LED wand used
Women shelter from the rain under an umbrella in front
A North Korean soldier uses his binoculars on the banks
Schoolgirls attend a dance class at the Mangyongdae
People walk along the streets of downtown Pyongyang
A commuter is seen through a tram window in Pyongyang
Commuters walk up the stairs as a train leaves a subway
A boy performs the zither at the Mangyondae School
Students participate in a mass dance event to mark
Competitors run through Kim Il-Sung square during
The newly renovated Koryo hotel main lobby in Pyongyang
A North Korean traffic police officer is silhouetted
A staff member of the newly renovated Koryo hotel walks
Boys jog at the end of a work day in Pyongyang on April
People on the street in Pyongyang on April 10, 2017.
Workers leave an assembly area after rehearsals for
A woman walks along the highway from downtown Pyongyang
Men walk and some push their bicycles along a highway
A North Korean soldier looks at the south side while
Kim Jong-Un visits a construction site in Pyongyang,
A North Korean soldier takes a photograph while two
People ski at the Masik Pass Ski Resort in Wonsan,
People watch news footage of a missile launch on a
This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean
Kim Jong-Un supervives the launching of four ballistic
The representatives of diplomatic missions and international
A security guard stands in a courtyard of the Kim Jong-Suk
Two women walk outside a dormitory of the Kim Jong-Suk
A worker pushes a trolley carrying buckets of silk-worm
People watch a fireworks display as they visit an ice
People look at a noticeboard after a fireworks display
A woman dressed in a traditional gown pays her respects

A woman dressed in a traditional gown pays her respects at statues of late North Korean leaders, Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. Unaware of reports his eldest son – and current leader Kim Jong Un’s half-brother – was killed just days ago in what appears to have been a carefully planned assassination, North Koreans marked the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il on Thursday as they do every year. Eric Talmadge, AP
Children with offerings walk toward statues of late
Residents sip hot tea at stalls set up as part of celebrations
Performers take part in a mass dance event on the occasion
Men transport gas cylinders in Pyongyang, Feb. 13,
Two elderly men crouch on a smoke break in Pyongyang,
People walk down the street in Pyongyang, Feb. 12,
A boy runs with the national flag along the Pyongyang-Wonsan
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un visits the newly built
Children of the workers at the Suk Silk Mill sing
This woman sorts silkworm cocoons to be boiled as part
Women sort out silkworm cocoons to be boiled at the
Kim Jong-Un posing with the school students while
A man rides his electric bicycle along the Taedong
This is a mass rally taking place at Kim Il Sung Square
A traffic police officer directs traffic on a road
Pedestrians and cyclists are reflected in the Pothong
North Korean honor guards watch as Choe Ryong Hae,
Kim Jong-Un at Fishery Station No. 15 of the Korean
Baek Hyun-kyung is a tour guide at the Three Charters
A member of North Korea's under-20 women's football
Kim Jong-Un at the Wonsan Shoes Factory in Kangwon
Korean People's Army (KPA) lieutenant and tour guide
Sailor Kim Il-Soo poses for a photo on a boat used
North Korean traffic police women chat next to a residential
Kim Jong-Un interacting with people while inspecting
North Koreans walk past a residential building as they
North Koreans are seen in silhouette as they make their
Azalea, whose Korean name is "Dalle", a 19-year-old

Azalea, whose Korean name is “Dalle”, a 19-year-old female chimpanzee, smokes a cigarette at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea Oct. 19, 2016. According to officials at the newly renovated zoo, which has become a favorite leisure spot in the North Korean capital since it was re-opened in July, the chimpanzee smokes about a pack a day. They insist, however, that she does not inhale. Wong Maye-E, AP
Students stretch following an under-14 training session
A North Korean boy in his school uniform walks past
Spectators cheer as parachutists perform an aerial
North Korean female MiG-21 fighter pilots Rim Sol,
North Korean boys play in a fountain feature during
Residents look up at a big screen TV in front of Pyongyang
This is a national meeting to celebrate the 68th founding
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un while inspecting the
A North Korean man gulps down a glass of draft beer
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects the Chollima
A surface-to-surface medium long-range strategic ballistic
North Korean soldiers peep into a conference room in
Military personnel stand during a rally at Kim Il Sung
A missile is fired during a drill by Hwasong artillery
Fairground participants ride a big swing in Pyongyang
Performers meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un at
A traffic police woman directs vehicles at a street
North Koreans push their bicycles in the rain on a
Taxis wait for passengers at the Pyongyang train station
People walk on a rail tracks in Pyongyang, April 18,
People ride the escalators at the Puhung metro station
A woman carries a bag next to a board in Pyongyang
City view of Pyongyang, April 17, 2016.
A metro employee on board the newest cars at the Puhung
A live-shell firing drill by artillery sub-units under
Kim Jong Un, left, Supreme Commander of the Korean
A rocket is displayed during the Immortal Flower Festival
Young women participate in a rehearsal ahead of the
This is a view of the Pyongyang, North Korea skyline
Pyongyang Station is shown in late evening April 12th
An image of the operation of a new type large-caliber
A man cycles past the Kim Il Sung square on Wednesday,
Young boys get the view of Pyongyang, North Korea from
Waitresses work on April 12, in a restaurant of the
A tramway rides past the Pyongyang Station in Pyongyang,
Pedestrians walk along a street in Pyongyang, North
A large mosaic representing Kim Il-Sung, left, and
A worker unloads a bag of fertilizer from a conveyer
A shipbuilder works at the Hongwon Shipyard in Hongwon
Newly manufactured shoes are seen at Wonsan Shoes Factory
A North Korean soldier walks past a truck near goods
North Koreans load goods on a dockyard with a Chinese
This undated photo released by North Korea's official
Kim Jong-Un inspecting the test of a new-type anti-air
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting the Plant
A woman cycles with her child riding in a basket in
Bicycle riders in Kaesong, Feb. 22, 2016.
Korean People's Army Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho is silhouetted
The North Korea's women soccer team fills up custom
Two people cycle past a planetarium at the Three Revolutions
A cashier prepares a receipt for customers at a local
Solar panels hang from windows of an apartment building
Soldiers guard the truce village of Panmunjom at the
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attends a concert marking
A boy pushes a cart of cabbage along a main road in
South Korean army soldiers close a gate in Paju, near
A North Korean woman walks down the streets of Pyongyang,
The 105-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel towers
People ride in a boat in the Yalu River near Dandong,
North Korean soldiers patrol next to the border fence
A man works on a boat on the banks of the Yalu River
The sun rises over the bridge on the banks of the Yalu
A man rides his bicycle in front of a portion of the
A man and his son on a boat on of the Yalu River at
People and a truck embark a boat on the Yalu River
North Korean soldiers on the banks of the Yalu River
North Korean soldiers stand at their watchtower as
A North Korean soldier smokes a cigarette on the banks
North Korean military personnel celebrate after North
A pair of North Korean soldiers walk through a field
North Koreans clap in a rally, after North Korea said
A North Korean soldier looks across the border with
North Korean veterans gather before the start of a
A barbed wire fence at a military check point near
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un watches a military
North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen
North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen
Hyeon Soo Lim who pastors the Light Korean Presbyterian
Members of North Korea's Moranbong Band perform with
A North Korean soldier gathers straw in a field in
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un accompanied by commanding
A picture made available on October 25, 2015 shows
This picture released from North Korea's official Korean
A North Korean traffic police woman directs vehicles
This undated picture released from North Korea's official
A picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper

A picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling North Korean Workers Party, on Sept. 8, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center front, and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, second from right, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and first vice-president of the Council of State, watching an art performance by the Moranbong Band and the State Merited Chorus in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 7, 2015. Bermudez led a Cuban delegation to North Korea to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Cuba. Rodong Sinmun, European Pressphoto Agency
This undated photo released by North Korea's official
In this Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 photo, North Koreans
A station officer waist for trains to arrive on the
Portaits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung,
This undated picture released from North Korea's official
In this Aug. 16, 2015 photo, people queue up at kiosk
A newlywed couple pose, during a photo shoot on Sijung
People dance during the celebration of the Liberation
North Korean soldiers watch as fireworks explode, Monday,
North Koreans bow in front of bronze statues of the
Staff wait at the check-in counters of the new international
In this Saturday, June 27, 2015, photo, an Air Koryo
Men and women pump their fists in the air and chant

Men and women pump their fists in the air and chant “defend!” as they carry propaganda slogans calling for reunification of their country during the “Pyongyang Mass Rally on the Day of the Struggle Against the U.S.,” attended by approximately 100,000 North Koreans to mark the 65th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War at the Kim Il Sung stadium, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The month of June in North Korea is known as the “Struggle Against U.S. Imperialism Month” and it’s a time for North Koreans to swarm to war museums, mobilize for gatherings denouncing the evils of the United States and join in a general, nationwide whipping up of the anti-American sentiment. Wong Maye-E, AP
In this June 24, 2015, photo, a farmer stands in front
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, center, visits the
A national meeting is held on April 14 at the Pyongyang
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, center, inspecting
North Korean workers plant seedlings in a field on
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un enjoys his Dec. 1 visit
A state photo from December 5 shows North Korean leader
Soldiers and citizens rally at Kim Il Sung Square in
North Koreans gather in front of a portrait of their

North Koreans gather in front of a portrait of their late leader Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, right, paying respects to their late leader Kim Jong Il, to mark the third anniversary of his death, Wednesday Dec. 17 at Pyong Chon District in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea marked the end of a three-year mourning period for the late leader Kim Jong Il on Wednesday, opening the way for his son, Kim Jong Un, to put a more personal stamp on the way the country is run. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
This picture taken by North Korea's official Korean
A December 13, handout photo shows North Korean leader
Kim Jong-Un applauds the participants in the second
This handout picture released from North Korea's official
An undated picture from North Korea's official Korean
People enjoy a ride at the Kaeson Youth Amusement Park on Sept. 3 in Pyongyang.
People shoot targets at an arcade at the Kaeson Youth Amusement Park.
North Koreans enjoy an amusement park ride.
Women wait for customers at a makeshift photo service stand.
North Koreans scream on the free-fall ride.
A portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jung Un posing with judo gold medalist An Kum Ae decorates the wall at a local gymnasium on Sept. 2 in Pyongyang.
North Korean athletes practice on a trampoline.
A North Korean subway station staff member waits for the arrival of a train on Sept. 1 in Pyongyang.
A boy arm wrestles with former NFL player Bob "The Beast" Sapp during a wrestling goodwill tour on Aug. 29 in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-Un attends the test firing of a new high-performance tactical rocket on Aug. 15.
People bow to portraits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung on Dec. 17 in Pyongyang. It is the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il.
North Koreans visit Mansu Hill to pay their respects to former leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang.
Soldiers prepare to place flowers at the statues of North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il on Mansu Hill.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, presides over an event to marking the second anniversary of the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends an event in Pyongyang.
Military officials applaud during an event marking the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il.
People bow at the statues of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il on Mansu Hill.
People place flower bouquets before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il on Mansu Hill.
Women sweep around the statues of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sun, left, and Jong Il on the eve of the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il on Dec. 16 in Pyongyang.
North Koreans lay flowers at the base of statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang.
North Korean soldiers gather at Kumsusan memorial palace as they stage a rally supporting their leader, Kim Jong Un, in Pyongyang.
Soldiers march during a rally at the Kumsusan memorial palace.
Jang Song-thaek is escorted in court on Dec. 12. The uncle of leader Kim Jong Un was executed after a shocking purge, with the state branding the once-powerful man a "traitor."
A man watches a television news program showing the uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Jang Son Thaek, at his trial at a railway station in Seoul.
Military vehicles parade during a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice on July 27 in Pyongyang, North Korea.
A North Korean soldier salutes from a tank during a military parade at Kim Il-Sung Square.
Veterans of the Korean War wave to their leader, Kim Jong Un, during a military parade.
People wave flags as walk with statues of former leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il.
People carry the North Korean national flags.
North Korean tanks parade through Kim Il-Sung Square.
Ugandan Vice-President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekand, left, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greet spectators.
North Korean air force troops march in the parade.
A North Korean soldier salutes from his tank.
Soldiers march through Kim Il Sung Square.
A unit of women soldiers march in formation.
People wave flowers during the parade.
People carry a portrait of former leader Kim Jong-Il.
Dancers parade through Kim Il Sung Sqaure.
Thousands of people hold up colored squares as they create a giant North Korean flag as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice during a performance at the Rungnado May Day Stadium on July 26 in Pyongyang.
People hold colored material as they watch for their cue during a performance. One hundred thousand people created a synchronized socialist-realist performance in a 90 minute display of gymnastics, dance and acrobatics.
Dancers perform in Pyongyang.
Performers present a program on the field of the Rungnado May Day Stadium.
Noth Korean army veterans watch the program.
Fireworks explode above the Pyongyaang skyline.
North Korean soldiers walk along a road in front of the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone on July 22.
North Korean pedestrians and bicyclists pass by a billboard for Pyeonghwa Motors, North Korea's car manufacturer, on a highway on the outskirts of Pyongyang.
North Koreans stand to applaud during the opening night of the "Arirang" mass games performance at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium on July 22. This year's performance was timed to debut for the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.
At dusk, the setting sunlight is reflected on the Taedong River in Pyongyang, North Korea, on July 21.
North Koreans clean a street after a heavy rainfall in Kaesong, North Korea.
Thousands of North Koreans turn colored cards to create an image of the Unha-3 rocket that North Korea successfully launched in December 2012 during the Arirang mass games.
A North Korean soldier sits inside a room in Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
North Koreans ride bicycles in the rain along the Taedong River bank in Pyongyang, North Korea.
North Korean soldiers walk on a highway near the North Korean city of Kaesong.
North Korean nurses sing and play the accordion while children dance during an event to start a campaign to give vitamin A supplements and deworming pills to children at a nursery school in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Child Health Day, May 20. UNICEF and North Korean government agencies are collaborating in the campaign to assist 1.7 million children across the country under age 5.
North Korean nurses give vitamin A supplements and deworming pills to children dressed in their best outfits at an elite nursery school in Pyongyang, North Korea.
North Koreans pass by the outer wall of a construction site where a propaganda billboard depicts the launch of North Korean rockets in Pyongyang, North Korea. The billboard reads: "Let's open up an era to a strong economic country."
North Koreans play a board game inside a sauna at the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang, North Korea, on May 19. The newly opened complex houses a cooking school, multiple banquet rooms, swimming and wading pools, a billiards room and other spa and recreational facilities.
North Korean swimmers enter a waterfall wading pool inside the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Wearing gym-provided workout clothing, North Koreans rest near the gym at the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Portraits of former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il hang on the outside of a building in central Pyongyang, North Korea, on May 18.
North Korean soldiers and civilians pose for photos April 25 as they tour the grounds of Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum in Pyongyang where the bodies of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie embalmed. Last month, North Korea marked the 81st anniversary of the founding of its military, which began as an anti-Japanese militia and now has an estimated 1.2 million troops.
North Korean soldiers tour the park surrounding Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.
North Korean army Col. Kim Chang Jun stands behind field binoculars on a hilltop overlooking the Demilitarized Zone, south of Kaesong, North Korea, on April 24.
A boy walks along a path in front of a village south of Kaesong, North Korea.
A North Korean boy rides in a bicycle basket on a road north of Kaesong, North Korea.
A North Korean boy on rollerblades is pulled by a woman on a bicycle on a road south of Kaesong, North Korea and north of the demilitarized zone which separates the two Koreas.
A North Korean man checks his bicycle next to a propaganda billboard in Kaesong, North Korea.
North Korean soldiers ride in the top of a military truck on a road in Kaesong, North Korea. For weeks, North Korea has threatened to attack the U.S. and South Korea for holding joint military drills and for supporting U.N. sanctions. Washington and Seoul officials said they've seen no evidence that Pyongyang is actually preparing for a major conflict, though South Korean defense officials said the North appears prepared to test-fire a medium-range missile.
North Korean farmers work in a field inside the Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjom, North Korea.
A North Korean traffic policeman stands at an intersection in Kaesong, North Korea on April 23.
North Koreans walk bicycles along a street in Kaesong, North Korea.
North Korean children walk in front of an apartment block in Kaesong, North Korea.
North Korean soldiers stand on steps overlooking the border village of Panmunjom, North Korea.
A painting, depicting North Korean soldiers ambushing and killing U.S. troops hangs on a gallery wall at an art exhibition Friday in Pyongyang.
A North Korean boy practices his lines -- "Our country is the greatest in the world" -- as he is filmed by a local television crew at an exhibition of traditional calligraphy in Pyongyang.
North Korean children perform in front of an image of weapons and bayonetsat Mangyongdae Children's Palace in Pyongyang.
Children practice a musical performance at Mangyongdae Children's Palace.
A guide stands in a waiting room at Mangyongdae Children's Palace in Pyongyang. Portraits in the background show North Korea's late leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il.
Children work at easels during a drawing class at Mangyongdae Children's Palace.
A North Korean soldier plows a field on the outskirts of Pyongyang.
North Koreans walk along a sidewalk in Pyongyang.
A North Korean soldier walks through a parking lot as workers paint a building block across the street in Pyongyang.
A North Korean soldier guarding the entrance to Pyongyang's Kumsusan mausoleum, where the bodies of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie embalmed, looks back through the doors of the main gate Monday, April 15, 2013. North Koreans turned out on Monday to mark the 101st birthday of Kim Il Sung.
A North Korean man misses the turn and loses control of his go cart on a track at the Fun Fair in Pyongyang on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.
A North Korean child covers the eyes of her father as she sits on his shoulders watching mass folk dancing in front of Pyongyang Indoor Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. Oblivious to international tensions over a possible North Korean missile launch, Pyongyang residents spilled into the streets Monday to celebrate a major national holiday, the birthday of their first leader, Kim Il Sung.
North Korean commuters ride on a city trolley bus in Pyongyang.
Marathon runners pass by a long row of North Korean soldiers as they cross a bridge in Pyongyang on Sunday, April 14, 2013. North Korea hosted the 26th Mangyongdae Prize Marathon to mark the April 15, 2013 birthday of the late leader Kim Il Sung.
A North Korean woman walks past the outer wall of a construction site where a propaganda billboard depicting the launch of North Korean rockets in Pyongyang, North Korea. The billboard reads: "Lets open up an era to a strong economic country."
North Korean children hold up red scarves to be tied around their necks during an induction ceremony into the Korean Children's Union, the first political organization for North Koreans, held at a stadium in Pyongyang on Friday, April 12, 2013.
North Koreans dance together beneath a mosaic painting of the late leader Kim Il Sung during a mass folk dancing gathering in Pyongyang Thursday, April 11, 2013, to mark the anniversary of the first of many titles of power given to leader Kim Jong Un after the death of his father Kim Jong Il.
A North Korean man pushes a bicycle up a hill on the outskirts of Pyongyang.
North Korean man drives a small tractor in central Pyongyang, North Korea.
North Korean pedestrians walk on a sidewalk past a large nationalist painting in Pyongyang, North Korea.
North Korean children carrying brooms walk on a sidewalk in Pyongyang on their way to help tidy up the area around bronze statues of the late leaders as the capital city prepares to mark the April 15 birthday of its founder Kim Il Sung.
A North Korean soldier passes by roadside propaganda depicting a North Korean soldier killing a U.S. soldier in Pyongyang. The poster reads in Korean "Life or Death Battle. Merciless Punishment to U.S. Imperialists and Puppet Traitors."
An apartment block stands among the buildings at dawn in central Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, April 10, 2013.
Reflected in the airport building glass, passengers disembark from North Korea's Air Koryo flight as they arrive at the Pyongyang International airport on Tuesday, April 9, 2013.
North Korean soldiers march through Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on March 16.
Two North Korean boys hop a ride on the back of a city tram March 14 to cross a bridge in Pyongyang.
North Koreans select apples and oranges, imported from China, at a supermarket in Pyongyang on March 13.
A North Korean soldier works at a computer terminal under portraits of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il inside the Grand People's Study House in Pyongyang on March 12.
A bus is covered in camouflage netting in a parking lot of a building in Pyongyang on March 9.
A children's pop-up book, displayed by a teacher March 9 at at Kaeson Kindergarten in Pyongyang, depicts a U.S. soldier killing a Korean woman with a hatchet. For North Koreans, the systematic indoctrination of anti-Americanism starts as early as kindergarten.
A North Korean girl readies a toy gun that fires rubber corks as she and others play a shooting game at a carnival March 8 at a park in Pyongyang.
A Mercedes rides along a street in central Pyongyang. The U.N. Security Council responded swiftly to North Korea's Feb. 12 nuclear test by punishing the reclusive regime Thursday with new sanctions that target the communist nation's economy and leadership. Pyongyang responded with the threat of a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the United States.
An image depicting a female North Korean soldier leading an attack is projected on a screen behind performers during a concert in Pyongyang marking International Women's Day. The text at the top of the screen reads, "We are the General's female coastal artillery troops."
North Koreans rally March 7 at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang in support of a government statement Tuesday that vowed to cancel the 1953 cease-fire that ended the Korean War. The statement also boasted of North Korea's ownership of "lighter and smaller nukes" and its ability to execute "surgical strikes" meant to unify the divided Korean Peninsula.
North Koreans carry bundles on their backs as they cross a frozen lake north of the capital city of Pyongyang on Feb. 24.
A North Korean woman sings karaoke at the Hyangsan Hotel at the foot of Mount Myohyang on Feb. 23.
North Koreans cross a railroad bridge over a riverbed south of Mount Myohyang, and north of the capital city of Pyongyang.
A North Korean traffic officer patrols a street Feb. 22 in central Pyongyang.
A nurse looks out of a window at a neighborhood health clinic in Pyongyang.
A North Korean man stands next to a tractor and wagon on the edge of a snow-covered field near the village of Ryongsan-ri, south of Pyongyang.
Pedestrians walk along a street Feb. 21 in central Pyongyang.
A nurse comforts a baby at a nursery inside Pyongyang Maternity Hospital on Feb. 20.
Well-wishers wave flower bouquets as buses carrying North Korean nuclear scientists and other officials pass by in Pyongyang. Scientists and other officials involved in the North's underground nuclear test on Feb. 12 arrived in the capital city Feb. 20 to a celebration.
Photos showing different hairstyles hang inside a barber shop in Pyongyang.
A 2013 calendar, showing a picture of North Korea's Unha-3 rocket, hangs inside a hair salon in Pyongyang.
A North Korean portrait photographer instructs soldiers to pose for a picture under a mosaic of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at an exhibition in Pyongyang on Feb. 17, where Kimjongilia flowers, named after Kim Jong Il, were on display.
A North Korean woman, with a fake Kalashnikov rifle used in a theatrical performance, stands in front of the Pyongyang Grand Theatre waiting for a ride.
Soldiers ride an escalator past a model of their country's Unha Rocket as they enter an exhibition in Pyongyang.
A musical performance is held in Pyongyang with the words "Let's strike the imperialists mercilessly with the same success we had carrying out the 3rd nuclear test" projected on a screen.
Soldiers gather along a Pyongyang street during heavy snowfall.
Female North Korean traffic officers gather in Pyongyang near bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to commemorate what would have been the 71st birthday of Kim Jong Il, who died Dec. 17, 2011.
Children play with the camera of an Associated Press photographer as people gather in front of bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on Feb. 16.
Soldiers lay flowers at the base of bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
Offerings of flowers are lined up as North Koreans bow in front of bronze statues of their late leaders.
Pedestrians pass under a bridge in Pyongyang on Feb. 15.
Cameramen use an elevated boom camera, left, and a older film camera to cover the opening ceremony of a figure skating exhibition in Pyongyang.
North Koreans watch the opening ceremonies of a figure skating exhibition in Pyongyang. Hanging in the arena is a banner with the word "Peace" in English and Korean.
Synchronized swimmers perform at an exhibition in Pyongyang. The exhibition was one of the events commemorating what would have been Kim Jong Il's 71st birthday.
North Koreans leave an ice skating rink after a figure skating exhibition.
A poster showing a model of North Korea's Unha-3 Rocket hangs in the lobby of a hotel in Pyongyang in Feb. North Korea is upgrading one of its two major missile launch sites, apparently to handle much larger rockets.
North Koreans stand before a roadside mosaic of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to pay their respects to the dead leaders. Kim Jong Il died in 2011, Kim Il Sung in 1994.