White House says open to engaging with North Korea

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday the United States remained open to engagement with North Korea and said the country must take steps toward denuclearization for that to occur.

At a news briefing, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Washington would make judgments on North Korea's new leadership following the death of Kim Jong-il based on how the government handles itself going forward, particularly on the nuclear issue that the United States has been pushing for years.

Carney said there had not been any decision made about U.S. food aid to North Korea. U.S. officials have been in touch with their counterparts in South Korea, Japan and also Russia and China following the North Korean leader's death, Carney said.

(Reporting by Laura MacInnis; editing by Anthony Boadle)