A top White House official says it's too early to conclude that the latest crisis on the Korean Peninsula has been resolved, as reports surface that North Korea is pulling back its mid-range missiles.

Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council Daniel Russel said in a recent phone interview that it is premature to make a judgment about whether North Korea’s provocation cycle is going up, down or zigzagging.

Concerning the news North Korea moved its Musudan missiles from an east coast launch site, Russel said it is still too early to congratulate this as good news.

Russel’s remarks are interpreted as Washington’s stance that it will continue to keep a close eye on Pyongyang.