Dec. 19 (UPI) -- North Korea's Kim Jong Un could choose to declare an end to nuclear negotiations with the United States, a South Korean analyst says.
Sung Ki-young, a researcher with the Institute for National Security Strategy under Seoul's spy agency, said Friday North Korea's provocations could also become more serious, South Korean news service Newsis reported.
"The United States has said it will not be bound by a [North Korean] unilateral deadline, but it will be seriously affected next year, depending on the level of North Korea's military provocations," Sung said.
The analyst also said China's influence over North Korea and related negotiations could grow in the foreseeable future.
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"[Former] National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il visited China eight times during 17 years of rule," Sung said. "By contrast Chairman Kim [Jong Un] held five summits in [only] seven years.
"China's role in denuclearization negotiations will be significantly strengthened next year."
Sung added North Korea's recent statement it would pursue a "new path" could mean a decision from Kim to cease nuclear negotiations with the United States.
The decision is likely to be made during Kim's upcoming New Year Speech, "the most important political event annually."
China recently hosted U.S. special envoy on North Korea Stephen Biegun in Beijing. The Chinese foreign ministry said this week it is calling for "restraint" among stakeholder countries and encouraged the United States to "address its reasonable concerns through dialogue and negotiation."
President Donald Trump has previously offered economic incentives for North Korea, but Pyongyang has stressed economic "self-reliance" instead.
North Korean propaganda service Arirang Meari stated Friday the regime has self-developed a new robot designed to teach students and "develop their right brains."
In a separate article Meari said North Korea's forestry research institute has developed a new "electronic dictionary," Green Forest 4.0. The application includes tens of thousands of entries on plant species, Meari said.
