The U.S. government says that talks between South and North Korea are an important opportunity for the North to demonstrate its sincerity and take steps to improve inter-Korean relations.

At a news briefing on Tuesday, Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said that the U.S. is still looking for North Korean actions that show that the communist country is willing to change its belligerent behavior.

The spokesman made the remarks in response to a question about South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s proposal to invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to the second Nuclear Security Summit that will be held in Seoul in March of next year.