US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday sent the new special envoy for North Korea to three Asian capitals and Moscow amid efforts to break the deadlock on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament.
"Early next week he will be departing for Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow to consult our next steps to move the six-party process forward," Clinton told a press conference, referring to envoy Stephen Bosworth.
The United States has been involved in negotiations with the two Koreas, Japan, China and Russia aimed at scrapping North Korea's nuclear program under a landmark six-party agreement signed in 2007.
The negotiations have deadlocked over a dispute with North Korea over how to verify disarmament.
Bosworth, speaking at the same press conference, added that it "remains to be decided" whether he meets with North Korean officials during his trip.
During a February 20 stop in Seoul as part of a tour of Asia, Clinton named Bosworth, an academic and former diplomat who served as US ambassador to South Korea, to a new post of special representative for North Korea.
Clinton, who chose Asia for her maiden overseas tour as chief US diplomat, said Bosworth would be the senior official handling North Korean issues, reporting to her and Obama.
She said Washington needs a seasoned "diplomat to lead our efforts to stem the risk of North Korea's nuclear ambitions and the proliferation of sensitive weapons technology, and its human rights and humanitarian challenges."
Clinton praised the "great dedication" of Christopher Hill, the outgoing chief US nuclear negotiator with North Korea who accompanied her to Seoul.
She said senior State Department official Sung Kim, who was closely involved in negotiations along with Hill, would be the special envoy to the six-party talks on the North's denuclearization.
Kim, who is due to travel with Bosworth, would continue to lead day-to-day efforts.
