U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is open to visiting North Korea in order to help settle disputes regarding the North’s nuclear and missile programs.

The U.N. chief told reporters in New York Wednesday that he will do whatever he can do as the secretary-general including his own visit to Pyongyang. But he did not give a timeframe for when that might happen.

Ban said he was "deeply concerned" about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and that while he still supported the six-party talks, "if necessary there should be some other forms of dialogue."

The U.N. chief also welcomed North Korea's willingness to engage in direct dialogue with the United States.

Ban served as South Korea's foreign minister before becoming the U.N. chief in 2007.