US open to nuclear talks with North Korea

The Obama administration says it's open to holding preliminary talks with North Korea to see if there's a chance of ridding the country of nuclear weapons.

A senior South Korean envoy travelled to Washington and Beijing this past week as nations involved in long-stalled aid-for-disarmament negotiations considered their options.

It remains unclear if a diplomatic overture to North Korea will even get to first base.

North Korea appears intent on retaining its nuclear weapons, and a senior US official says the North has yet to show a serious interest in re-engaging on the issue.

President Barack Obama has broken the ice with other long-standing adversaries such as Iran, Cuba and Myanmar.

An attempt to negotiate a nuclear freeze by North Korea in 2012 failed.