North Korean leader Kim's absence from public ceremonies on the birth anniversary of his grandfather and founder of the country, Kim Il Sung, was unprecedented, and he has not been seen in public since -leading to days of speculation over his health.
European markets closed sharply lower on Tuesday as oil market volatility and the coronavirus outbreak remained in focus.
The Korean won weakened on Tuesday against the dollar on unconfirmed reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seriously ill.
North Korea marked the anniversary of the birthday of its founding father and Kim's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, as a national holiday on April 15, but Kim was not seen in attendance.
In the afternoon of Asian trading hours on Tuesday, the price of the May WTI contract shed earlier gains to fall back into negative territory.
Manufacturing in China shrank at the fastest pace ever recorded in February, stung by the coronavirus outbreak.
SEOUL, Jan 24- South Korea's push to resume tourism with the North is aimed at resetting border ties, but must overcome Pyongyang's scepticism and chart a careful course around U.S. efforts to pressure leader Kim Jong- un into eliminating his nuclear arsenal. Seoul says the United States knows of its plans, and South Korean officials are seeking to sound out...
South Korean President Moon Jae-in says U.S. President Donald Trump's recent letter to North Korea's leader underscores his commitment to negotiations.
The United States is said to have reached out to North Korea to restart diplomatic talks that stalled last October, news website Axios reported.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is set to make a New Year address on Wednesday which is likely to offer a glimpse of a "new path" he has vowed to take if the U.S. fails to meet his deadline to soften its stance over denuclearization.
Scott Seaman, Asia director at Eurasia Group, says "the big question" is whether Pyongyang will test an intercontinental ballistic missile.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a weekend meeting of top Workers' Party officials to discuss policy matters.
Since 2011, Kim Jong Un has launched more missiles than his father and grandfather combined.
Kim Jong Un had previously given the U.S. a vague deadline to change course on nuclear talks before year-end.
"Pyongyang, despite having placed an end-of-year deadline in place in April, has basically closed the door on diplomacy with the United States entirely," said one expert.
Ambassador Kim Song said the "sustained and substantial dialogue" sought by the U.S. was a "time-saving trick" to suit its domestic political agenda.
Washington and Pyongyang have made little progress in their discussions about dismantling North Korea's nuclear and missile program.
The U.S. needs to offer something "juicy" for a nuclear deal with North Korea to even be possible, one professor says.
The stakes have grown for United States and North Korea, but publicly the two sides have shown no sign of where they may compromise.
It came a day after North Korea announced the resumption of talks with the United States aimed at ending its nuclear program.
Data also provided by 
