The U.S. government said Secretary of State John Kerry’s remarks on the need for dialogue with North Korea reflected South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s vision for peace.

The State Department’s acting deputy spokesperson, Patrick Ventrell, said at a press briefing that Kerry’s offer for talks was related to President Park’s vision of peace in which North Korea can prosper and coexist.

But Ventrell indirectly criticized the North Korean regime by noting that the North Korean leadership’s current course of action is the complete opposite of this vision.

The spokesperson also said the U.S. encourages anything that will foster a positive relationship between the two Koreas.