The White House said on Tuesday that the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea despite the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, calling the leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan “gang bosses."

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre made the remarks during a regular press briefing when asked about Kim's remarks, in which he slammed joint military exercises among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan as he called the leaders of the three nations “gang bosses.”

While refraining from addressing the comments directly, she stressed that the U.S. has reiterated many times that the lines of communication with the North remain open.

In a celebratory speech on the North’s Navy Day on Monday, Kim reportedly blasted a meeting of the leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan where they announced regular trilateral military exercises, directing apparent criticism at the recent Camp David summit.