The U.S. State Department says that the U.S. is confident that South Korea will host a safe and successful Winter Olympics despite tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Steve Goldstein, under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, said during a press briefing on Wednesday that South Korean authorities are responsible for the overall security of the games and they are world-class experts who hosted major sporting events like the 2002 World Cup and the 2014 Asian Games.

Goldstein said that the U.S. and South Korea have been working together for more than two years on the security of the event and that U.S. citizens traveling to the country can be confident about safety conditions.

Michael Evanoff, assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, also said that the U.S. has planned for all contingencies.