New U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun will visit Japan and South Korea within weeks to coordinate policies on North Korea, the State Department said Wednesday.

It will be Biegun's first trip to the region since being appointed as the U.S. special representative for North Korea last week.

(Stephen Biegun, left, and Mike Pompeo)
[Courtesy of U.S. Department of State]

Biegun was initially due to accompany Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a foiled trip to North Korea this week, after which he was expected to hold talks with Japanese and South Korean officials in Tokyo.

President Donald Trump called off Pompeo's trip, citing insufficient progress made in denuclearization talks with North Korea since he held a historic summit with the North's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a news briefing that there was no trip to North Korea by Biegun to announce at this juncture.

She also denied some news reports saying a difference exists between the United States and South Korea over the North, saying the two countries plus Japan have been in close coordination about Pyongyang.

"We closely coordinate and have an excellent relationship with these countries and share information all the time," Nauert said.