US special envoy for N.Korea to visit Seoul, Tokyo

The US State Department has said its special envoy for North Korea will visit South Korea and Japan from February 1-6.

Joseph Yun, special representative for North Korea policy and deputy assistant secretary for Korea and Japan, will meet senior government officials in Tokyo and Seoul to discuss coordination on North Korea and other alliances and bilateral issues, a US State department statement said on Monday, Xinhua reported.

In Tokyo, Yun will participate in the International Colloquium on Building Stable Peace in Northeast Asia organised by the Toda Peace Institute, the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and the National Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago.

Despite tension easing on the Korean Peninsula with North Korea agreeing to take part in the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea, Washington has vowed to maintain its "maximum pressure" campaign against Pyongyang, slapping new sanctions on January 24.

It has also launched a string of international events to engage other nations in the campaign.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Danish counterpart Anders Samuelsen on Monday and noted Denmark's support for the US in the campaign.

"They bring a lot to our discussions in terms of considering alternative means to engage in difficult problems" like Pyongyang, Tillerson said.

--IANS

pgh/bg