US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged Tuesday that North Korea has shown a "level of restraint" in not conducting nuclear or missile tests since new UN sanctions were imposed.

And he expressed the hope that it was a sign of Pyongyang's readiness to enter talks with Washington "sometime in the near future."

"I am pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we've not seen in the past," Tillerson told reporters in Washington.

"We need to see more on their part, but I want to acknowledge the steps they've taken thus far. I think it's important to take note of that."

source: AFP