The White House says it "will see" if North Korea's stated willingness to hold talks is a commitment to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on Sunday that the U.S. will see if Pyongyang's message that it is willing to hold talks represents the first steps along the path to denuclearization. 

Sanders added the U.S., South Korea and the international community broadly agree that denuclearization must be the result of any dialogue with North Korea, stressing the maximum pressure campaign must continue until North Korea denuclearizes. 

She also said that there is a brighter path available for North Korea if it chooses denuclearization. 

Sanders said that the U.S. State Department is in close consultation with South Korea, adding that inter-Korean relations cannot improve without the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue as South Korean President Moon Jae-in noted. 

The White House issued the statement quickly after senior North Korean official Kim Yong-chol said that Pyongyang is willing to talk with the U.S. during a meeting with President Moon earlier on Sunday.