In an electromagnetically operable engine valve assembly including a controller for an internal combustion engine, a stable initialization is achieved which suppresses a collision of a movable element against an electromagnet to cope with a viscosity of a lubricating oil during an engine start under an engine low temperature. A supplied current value is feedback controlled in accordance with a position of movable element when an initialization control such that a current is continuously supplied to one of electromagnets is executed. At this time, the feedback control gain G1 is, first, set to a relatively small value and is, thereafter, switched to a relatively large value at a gradual pace for each execution of the initialization control until the initialization control has succeeded in moving the movable element to an initial position.