United Nations officials say North Korea has proposed allowing a U.N. rights investigator to visit the isolated, communist country.
The proposal was made during a Monday meeting between Pyongyang officials and Marzuki Darusman, the U.N. special investigator on North Korean human rights.
Darusman is set to release a report later this week recommending the Security Council refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court over its rights record.
U.N. officials said the North Koreans on Monday urged Darusman to drop the language about an ICC referral, but did not explicitly link this to a possible visit.
The Security Council is expected to vote on the issue in late November. China, an ally of North Korea, has hinted that it may block the resolution.
North Korea is thought to have one of the world's worst human rights records.
In February, a U.N. Commission of Inquiry submitted a report concluding Pyongyang is guilty of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, enslavement and rape.
Pyongyang rejected the report as inaccurate and politically motivated, but in recent weeks has showed signs it is ready to dialogue with U.N. officials to avoid a possible ICC referral.