The United States says the issue of leadership succession in North Korea is a key matter of interest to Washington.

State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Tuesday that the issue is a big priority and the U.S. is keeping a close eye on related developments.

He made the remark after being asked to comment on the nature of the succession process that’s allegedly under way in the North and how the issue is affecting efforts to both free two detained U.S. journalists and rectify the North’s nuclear standoff.

Kelly said the U.S. hopes the North will once again cooperate with the international community, including through the six-way nuclear talks.

On efforts to free the U.S. journalists, Kelly said Swedish Ambassador to Pyongyang Mats Foyer is considering all possible channels for the release of the two women on behalf of Washington. Sweden currently represents U.S. interests in the communist state.

However, Kelly said he was not going to go into any other details of such diplomatic exchanges.