North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has shown willingness to resume dialogue with the United States, even though a meeting between Washington and Pyongyang did not materialize during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service(NIS) stated during a National Assembly Intelligence Committee audit on Tuesday that Pyongyang has been quietly preparing for possible U.S. engagement, analyzing the tendencies of Washington’s North Korea policy team, Vice Chairperson Lee Seong-kweun said during a briefing.

The NIS noted subtle shifts in North Korea’s rhetoric, saying it has toned down direct references to nuclear armament after Kim hinted at conditional dialogue during a recent Supreme People’s Assembly session.

The agency also said Kim had weighed delaying Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui’s visits to China and Russia amid speculation of contact with Washington.

The NIS believes that North Korea will pursue direct contact with the U.S. once the conditions are right.