Refreshing News: South Korea special forces on extreme weather training, in pictures

Members of South Korea's Special Warfare Command have been put through their paces during freezing winter exercises in Pyeongchang-gun, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul

The troops participated in endurance exercises in temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius under a scenario to defend the country from an attack from North Korea

The Korean peninsula is the world's last Cold War frontier as Stalinist North Korea and pro-Western South Korea have been technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said there was 'no reason' not to hold a high-level summit with neighbouring South Korea, speaking in a New Year's address broadcast by state media

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have turned 32 on January 8, 2015, but this year there have been no reports of celebrations or even any public mention of the event so far in the reclusive nation. His age is apparently a state secret. China, North Korea's only major ally, however offered birthday wishes. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters at a daily briefing that China had "expressed congratulations" to North Korea on the occasion.

In the United States, which expanded sanctions against North Korea December 2014 after blaming Pyongyang for a hacking attack on Sony Corp, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she had no message for Kim for his birthday.