A United States special envoy will visit China, the Republic of Korea and Japan next week to discuss human rights and humanitarian issues, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

Robert King, the envoy in charge of human rights issues in the DPRK, will arrive in China on Aug 19 and then head to the ROK on Aug 22 to 27 for meetings with government officials before going to Japan on Aug 28.

In China, King will meet with officials of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Program.

He was involved in an agreement on Feb 29, 2012, in which Washington said it would provide food assistance to the DPRK.

Xinhua-China Daily

(China Daily 08/15/2013 page11)