Pyeongchang, South Korea (CNN) The White House has responded to North Korea's willingness to hold talks with the United States, saying in a statement Sunday that "there is a brighter path available for North Korea if it chooses denuclearization."

"We will see if Pyongyang's message today, that it is willing to hold talks, represents the first steps along the path to denuclearization," the statement read. "In the meantime, the United States and the world must continue to make clear that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are a dead end."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement on Sunday that he'd met with the North Korean delegation in Pyeongchang before the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games, and told them that North Korea-US talks should happen "as soon as possible."

Moon said the North Koreans indicated they were willing to talk with the US, and agreed that "the inter-Korean relationship and North Korea-US relationship should develop together."

Moon met for an hour with the North Korean delegation at an undisclosed location in Pyeongchang at 5 p.m. local time Sunday, three hours before South Korea prepared to host the carefully-choreographed closing ceremony.

Kim Yong Chol (C), leads the North Korean delegation to Pyeongchang for the end of the Winter Games.

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