Trump: Sanctions have a big impact on North Korea

"Rocket Man now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Maybe that's good news, maybe not - we'll see," President Donald Trump tweeted on the morning of January 2. He said that cSanctions and other pressure are beginning to have a major impact on Pyongyang.

The United States and its allies, including South Korea and Japan, have stepped up economic pressure on the North Korean regime as it pushes ahead with its nuclear and missile development. North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test last year. In November, it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew farther than any before.

In his New Year's address, leader Kim Jong-un declared that "the entire US is within range of our nuclear weapons, and the nuclear button is always on the table." However, Mr. Kim also left open the possibility of dialogue with South Korea when it hosts the Winter Olympics next month.

South Korea also proposed high-level talks with North Korea near their shared border next week today.