US politician Bill Richardson says North Korea is moving in the right direction towards resolving a build up of tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Speaking after visiting the North, he said it had shown pragmatism by not reacting to South Korean exercises.
The North shelled Yeonpyeong island last month after similar drills and had threatened more retaliation this time.
He also reiterated that the North had agreed to allow international inspectors into its nuclear facilities.
"The specifics are that they will allow IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) personnel to go to Yongbyon to ensure that they are not processing highly enriched uranium and are proceeding with peaceful purposes," he said.
IAEA inspectors who had been monitoring the Yongbyon nuclear plant - the source of North Korea's plutonium - were expelled from the country in April 2009.
In November North Korea revealed that it had a modern uranium enrichment plant, also at the Yongbyon site, to US atomic scientist Siegfried Hecker. BBC News
