This week's remarkable developments in inter-Korean ties seem to have signaled a dramatic shift in tone by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
He appears to have done an about-face on two key issues for the North -- namely the South Korea-U.S. military drills and denuclearization.
It has left many wondering what sparked Kim's sudden change of heart.
Oh Jung-hee reports.

Is North Korea sincere about continuing the rare momentum for dialogue... and finally sitting down with the U.S.?
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told South Korea's envoys... that he (quote)"understands" the Seoul-Washington joint military drills due to take place in April on a scale similar to previous years.
As recently as last weekend, though, and many other times,... North Korea has called the exercises a rehearsal for an invasion.
Experts think such a drastic and sudden shift in stance... has occured because Pyongyang does not wish to put the brakes on the recent improvements in inter-Korean relations.

"South Korea can't focus solely on North Korea -- it has to consider its relations with the U.S., and the North knows it. So Kim Jong-un decided to make room for Seoul to maintain good relations with Washington by giving his okay to the drills in April."

According to the envoys who went to Pyongyang, the North Korean leader also promised that his regime won't conduct nuclear or missile tests while talks continue.
And with the U.S. calling for the North to show a sincere attitude towards denuclearization,... a halt to those provocations is seen as helping build a foundation for talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

"This shows that North Korea is paying a great deal of attention to this momentum... and the possibility that better inter-Korean relations could lead to talks with Washington. Pyongyang is aware that it needs to concede something to get any kind of benefit."

Still, there's a lot that remains to be seen concerning what exactly North Korea means by "denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula" and whether it's really willing to abandon its nuclear weapons.

"When North Korea talks about denuclearization, that often refers to the whole Peninsula. Even if South Korea doesn't have tactical nuclear weapons, the North considers America's extended deterrence to be, in effect, nuclear weapons on the Peninsula. So the North's reference to denuclearization means an end to or a decrease in U.S. extended deterrence."

"Kim Jong-un said he wants two conditions -- no military threats and a promise of the regime's security. And these are what Pyongyang's been stipulating for decades. Kim's remark that Pyongyang still has an end goal of denuclearization doesn't mean that the regime has some new notion of what that means."

"But for now at least, Kim Jong-un appears to be a bit more flexible on some of the things that Pyongyang was most sensitive about -- the Seoul-Washington joint military drills and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. With S