From the New York Times, I'm Michael Barbaro. This is the day.

Today, South Korea says that North Korea is willing to talk about giving up its nuclear weapons.

What happened to the threat of nuclear war?

It's Wednesday, March 7th.

The first nuclear war in the world was a success.

South Korea's official saying North Korea fired an intermediate range missile.

New provocation from North Korea. What could be the most dangerous yet? A successful test of an

intercontinental ballistic missile. The latest missile launched through praise from North Korea

leader Kim Jong-un, who said through state media the test clearly proved the whole US mainland

is in firing range. The Pentagon suddenly strengthening the country's west coast defenses against

a possible nuclear attack by North Korea. Are we now on the brink of nuclear war? They will be met

with fire and fury. Like the world has never seen.

A potential major breakthrough on the Korean Peninsula. This morning, South Korean officials

returning from talks in North Korea, including a direct meeting with Kim Jong-un,

announced first the North Korean regime wants to talk directly with the US government to discuss

denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and normalizing US-North Korean relations.

Make no mistake. What's happened today represents an extraordinary new chapter in the tense

standoff between the US and North Korea and even perhaps a hopeful chapter.

Mark Leander, what just happened? Well, Michael, after a really crazy year, when you saw everything

from threats of war to pictures of North Koreans sitting happily with South Koreans at the Olympics,

you now suddenly have this announcement by North Korea via the South that they're ready to sit down

and talk to the United States, but not just that, they're ready to put their entire nuclear and

...