U.S. President Barack Obama has hinted that there could be more sanctions in store for North Korea in the wake of its May 25th nuclear test.

Obama told the Associated Press Thursday that abandoning its nuclear weapons programs is the only way Pyongyang is going to improve its economy and join the international community. He said the United States wants North Korea "to know that path is still available."

Obama said the United States is trying to "keep a door open" for North Korea to return to the stalled six-way nuclear talks.

The U.S. president added that the implementation of sanctions under a new U.N. Security Council resolution punishing Pyongyang is "going very well."