U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is stressing the need to resolve North Korea’s nuclear standoff through dialogue.

Ban made the statement when he met with North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Pak Gil-yon in New York on Sunday.

According to the U.N. News Center, Ban encouraged the communist state to respond positively to the recent initiatives by concerned parties regarding Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

The news center cited that Ban has made multiple calls on Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, including through the six-way nuclear talks.

Ban also reportedly voiced concern about the North’s humanitarian and human rights situations, highlighting the need for proactive efforts to enhance donor commitments to meet the country's serious food security needs and encouraging Pyongyang to increase access and information sharing.