South Korea and the United States maintain close consultations on North Korean issues even after the departure of the top U.S. nuclear envoy, a Seoul official said Thursday, dismissing concerns over Washington’s waning diplomacy on Pyongyang.

Jung Pak, who until recently served as U.S. senior official for North Korea, resigned last week and no successor has been decided yet, although the process for her replacement is under way, diplomatic sources said.

Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will be responsible for North Korea policy in the meantime, the U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday.

“Discussions on North Korea policy between South Korea and the United States are taking place at every level. There is little impact on our communications or channels for cooperation,” a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity when asked about Pak’s departure.

Pak’s resignation came as the nuclear dialogue between the U.S. and Nor
th Korea remains stalled following the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi talks between then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Washington has stated its willingness to reengage with the North, but Pyongyang has not responded to such U.S. overtures.

Source: Yonhap News Agency