The hardline communist state said it was committed to world peace but urged the United States to drop its "hostile" policy -- a precondition it often cites for scrapping its nuclear weapons programme.

A joint editorial in newspapers published by the party, military and youth militia made only one reference to the nuclear issue which has preoccupied the world since the October 2006 atomic test.

It called for efforts to fully utilise "the mental power of all the soldiers and people, which is more powerful than nuclear weapons."

Under a six-nation pact the North was supposed to have disabled its main atomic plants and declared all its nuclear programmes by December 31 in return for one million tons of fuel oil or equivalent energy aid and diplomatic benefits.

The United States, Japan and South Korea -- members of the negotiations along with Russia, China and the North itself -- expressed disappointment at the missed deadline.

Disablement work started in November but has reportedly slowed down.

The State Department said its top nuclear envoy Christopher Hill was now expected to hold talks with officials from Japan, South Korea, China and Russia on the next steps.

The editorial, without elaborating, hailed 2008 as a year "when a great change will be brought about in the history of our country and our revolution."

It made numerous references to the Songun or army-first policy, which prioritises the welfare of the 1.1 million-strong military over civilians.

"We should constantly increase the military strength of our republic by holding fast to the party's Songun-based revolutionary line," it said.

"It is important to make the spirit of giving priority to military affairs prevail in the whole society, strengthen militias including the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and the Young Red Guards, and turn the whole country into an impregnable fortress."

But the editorial also pledged to work for world peace and to "further develop relations of friendship and cooperation with all the countries that are friendly toward it."

In addition to calling for an end to US "hostile" policy, it repeated familiar demands for a halt to joint US-South Korean military exercises and the scrapping of US bases in the South.

Following an October summit, it urged expanded cooperation and exchanges with the South.

Suh Jae-Jean, of the Korea Institute for National Unification, described the editorial's tone as restrained.

"The calm joint editorial shows that North Korea is in a transition period towards improving ties with the US and establishing better relations with South Korea," Suh told Yonhap news agency.

The papers also highlighted the need to build a stronger economy, substantially improve living standards and grow more food, after a year in which floods caused massive damage to the harvest.

The North relies on international aid to feed millions of its people.

"At present there is no more urgent and important task than solving the problem of food," it said, calling for the planting of high-yield grain strains and the introduction of advanced farming technology.

In a possible acknowledgement that its collectivist farming system has failed, it added: "Agricultural officials and working people should make great efforts to do farming by themselves with the attitude of being masters."

The editorial called for efforts to shore up basic industries such as coal mining, power generation, iron and steel, as well as a focus on science and technology.

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