US remains prepared to discuss 'full range of issues' with North Korea: Psaki

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., Oct. 1. Reuters-Yonhap

White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated Friday the U.S. commitment to engage with North Korea, saying Washington is prepared to discuss a "full range of issues" with Pyongyang.

Psaki made the remark after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused the U.S. of harboring "hostile intent" toward the North.

"We remain prepared to discuss the full range of issues," Psaki said when asked about Kim's speech at a recent meeting of the North's governing body.

In a speech Wednesday (KST), the North Korean leader argued the U.S.'s hostile policy toward the North had not changed eight months after the new Joe Biden administration took office, while calling the its outreaches to Pyongyang for dialogue "a petty trick for deceiving the international community and hiding its hostile acts."

Psaki noted the North has yet to respond to U.S. overtures.

"We've made specific proposals for discussion with the North Koreans, but have not received a response to date," she said in a press briefing.

The White House press secretary also said her country would support dialogue between the two Koreas.

"In terms of potential discussions between the North Koreans and the South Koreans, obviously, we've made our own outreach of potential engagement," she said.

Kim earlier said North Korea would reopen direct communication hotlines with South Korea from early October.

The North reopened the cross-border communication channels in July, 13 months after it had unilaterally shut them down, but then cut them again about two weeks later.

The White House official's remark also comes after a series of missile tests by North Korea that Pyongyang claims included the launch of a new hypersonic missile.

The U.S. earlier condemned the tests, along with the launch of a short-range ballistic missile Sept. 15, as violations of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions that prohibit the North from developing or testing any nuclear and ballistic missiles.

Psaki said the U.S. was continuing to assess the recent North Korean missile launches to confirm the types involved. (Yonhap)