The U.S. ambassador to the UN says Washington could provide humanitarian food aid to North Korea if the reclusive state allowed it.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the remark on Monday during a virtual press conference organized by the New York Foreign Press Center on the U.S. Presidency of the UN Security Council(UNSC).

The comment came in response to a question on how Washington or the UNSC can address the crisis in the North, with Thomas-Greenfield saying that the U.S. is “very aware of the food insecurity issues in North Korea” while emphasizing that food is not subject to sanctions.

Directing responsibility for the situation toward the regime, she said Pyongyang “is spending all of its money on the development of weapons to threaten the world instead of using the funds that they have to support the well-being of their people.”

The ambassador added that if North Korea opens its borders to humanitarian assistance, the U.S. and other nations would be able to provide needed assistance.

Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. will continue to raise its concerns about the North’s food insecurity in the Security Council while urging Russia and China to support efforts to hold North Korea accountable for violations of human rights and UNSC resolutions.