North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his new year address on Tuesday to deliver a warning to the US that he might have to seek a “new path” if Washington failed to ease economic sanctions.

While signalling his willingness to meet President Donald Trump again, Mr Kim said he might be “compelled to explore a new path” to defend North Korea’s sovereignty if the US “seeks to force something upon us unilaterally?.?.?.?and remains unchanged in its sanctions and pressure”.

In the closely watched televised speech, Mr Kim said he was “firmly” committed to denuclearisation and stressed that North Korea would no longer produce nuclear weapons. But he urged the US to take corresponding measures to make faster progress on denuclearisation and warned that Washington should not test Pyongyang’s patience with continued pressure.