North Korean officials on Wednesday urged the two Koreas to “smash all kinds of sanctions and pressure” to achieve joint prosperity, the Rodong Sinmun reported on Thursday, urging Seoul to disregard international sanctions and push ahead with large-scale economic cooperation.

The appeal to "all Koreans" was adopted at the joint conference of the DPRK government, political parties, and organizations at the People’s Palace of Culture on Wednesday, at which officials discussed the “tasks for national reunification” laid out by Kim Jong Un in his New Year address.