Story highlights The Winter Olympics are set for Feb. 9-25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea

Confusion had set in after Haley said participation was an "open question"

Washington (CNN) The White House says the US "looks forward to participating" in the 2018 Winter Olympics, following confusion after US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said it remained an "open question" whether US athletes would be able to attend.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Thursday : "UPDATE: The U.S. looks forward to participating in the Winter Olympics in South Korea. The protection of Americans is our top priority and we are engaged with the South Koreans and other partner nations to secure the venues."

The 2018 Winter Olympics are set to be held February 9-25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The situation with neighboring North Korea, which has grown increasingly hostile while pursuing its nuclear ambitions, is "changing by the day," Haley told Fox News on Wednesday, making the security of US athletes uncertain.

During the White House press briefing Thursday, Sanders initially reiterated Haley's comments, saying there had been "no official decision" made on if American athletes would attend the Winter Games.

The White House did not return CNN's request for further comment on who is responsible for deciding whether athletes will attend. A spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee said the organization has "been informed that the position of the South Korean government, with regard to security at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, has not changed."