The U.S. State Department said that the United States has not returned to the "strategic patience" approach on North Korea, repeating calls for the North to respond positively to its outreach for dialogue.

Department spokesperson Ned Price issued the position on Tuesday in a press briefing when asked to comment on the view that the Joe Biden administration has gone back to the approach. 

"Strategic patience" refers to the policy that the Obama administration used to deal with North Korea. The policy essentially means waiting for North Korea to come back to the negotiating table with changed behavior while maintaining pressure through economic sanctions for its bad behavior.

Price dismissed the view that the Biden administration has gone back to the approach, emphasizing that the U.S. remains ready and willing to meet with North Korea without any preconditions.

He added the U.S. continues to hope the North will respond positively to that outreach.