A source in Washington says U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to talk about the direction of Washington’s North Korea policies after analyzing the North’s anticipated new year’s message.

The source said Thursday the message is expected to be released shortly after the mourning period ends for the North’s late leader Kim Jong-il. The source said since the death of the North Korean leader, the U.S. has been using the term “new leadership” when talking about the North’s future and has refrained from referring to the communist nation’s post-Kim Jong-il government as a “Kim Jong-un government.” The source added the term “new leadership” has many implications.

The source said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney did mention Kim Jong-un as being heir to Kim Jong-il during a news briefing on Thursday, however, the source added that Carney said the heir’s name by chance.

The source said the United States believes it is imperative that the North, which has been thrown into uncertainty with the sudden death of its leader, recovers stability.