Washington's new special envoy for North Korea will soon be visiting America's allies in Northeast Asia.
With some critics questioning his fit for the job given his lack of diplomatic experience,... there's attention on whether he can break the stalemate between North Korea and the U.S.
Lee Ji-won reports.
South Korean news outlets are reporting that Stephen Biegun will soon embark on a trip to Northeast Asia, which will include stops in Seoul and Tokyo.
This will be his first time in the region as the new U.S. special envoy for North Korea since he assumed the role last month.
His South Korean counterpart is the special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs in the foreign affairs ministry, Lee Do-hoon.
South Korea's foreign affairs ministry told Arirang News on Monday that the meeting between the two diplomats is currently being scheduled and that further details will be shared once confirmed.

Biegun previously served as an Executive Secretary of the National Security Council, a foreign policy advisor to members of Congress and was an executive at Ford Motor Company.
While critics of the administration claim he's unsuitable for the position, considering how he was focused for much of his career on Europe,... some beg to differ.

CNBC cited Brett Bruen, a former director of global engagement at the White House as saying Biegun may have the "precise quality that's needed during the fraught negotiations" -- the ability to talk with President Donald Trump.
Bruen says no one in the State Department has the ability to convey the complexity of the denuclearization negotiations to the president in a way that he understands and will go along with.

The former New Mexico governor and UN ambassador, Bill Richardson said Biegun's skills at Ford will come in handy,... but he should also learn the North Koreans' negotiating style -- which Richardson called wily.
He also suggested the two words Biegun should remember during his talks with the North are "timelines" and "verification".

With the denuclearization process between Pyongyang and Washington seemingly at a standstill,... it remains to be seen whether Biegun's trip to Asia can move the needle forward.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.