A U.S. Senate panel has reportedly approved the nomination of U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun to the State Department's number two post.

According to a diplomatic source, the Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday confirmed Biegun's nomination for deputy secretary of state and submitted their decision to the full Senate for a vote. 

If the vote passes, Biegun is expected to serve as the State Department's second-in-command while keeping his role as chief negotiator for the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

He reportedly plans to visit South Korea this weekend to discuss ways of breaking an impasse in talks ahead of a year-end deadline imposed by Pyongyang for the U.S. to demonstrate more flexibility in its denuclearization posture.