Robert King, a former U.S. congressional aide, was endorsed as U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy for North Korean human rights. He replaces Jay Lefkowitz, who resigned in January after having served for four years since 2005.
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved King as the special envoy over the weekend, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Unlike Lefkowitz, the new envoy will be a full-time envoy dedicated to North Korean human rights, the report said.
During a confirmation hearing earlier this month, King was quoted as saying that he would urge China to stop the repatriation of North Korean defectors.
skim@koreatimes.co.kr
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