The Presidential Office said on the 24th that it is "closely monitoring related developments" after news broke of an unannounced visit to China by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
A Presidential Office official said the government is "keeping various possibilities in mind at this stage, when there has been no official announcement from either North Korea or China."
Kim is reported to have traveled to Dandong, a city in China's Liaoning province that borders North Korea, where he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Whether he also met President Xi Jinping has not been confirmed.
Kim is widely expected to return home immediately after wrapping up his schedule in China the same day.
The Presidential Office is awaiting official announcements from both sides on the trip while analyzing available information to determine its specific purpose. North Korea has issued several hardline messages directed at Seoul in recent weeks under the name of Kim Yo-jong, a department director of the ruling Workers' Party.
The Presidential Office is expected to continue watching for further developments and assess the situation cautiously for the time being.