SEOUL – Senior officials from Pyongyang visiting South Korea on Sunday said North Korea was open to talks with the United States, hours after it accused Washington of trying to stir up conflict on the peninsula with new sanctions.

In Pyeongchang for the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics, the visiting delegation also said developments in relations between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the United States should go hand in hand, the South's presidency said in a statement.

The delegation met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at an undisclosed location in the Olympic city.

Earlier a statement released by North Korean state media accused the United States of provoking confrontation on the Korean peninsula with Friday's sanctions announcement.