The United States Senate on Thursday confirmed U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun as the State Department's new second-in-command.

The Senate confirmed Biegun's nomination for deputy secretary of state in a 90-3 vote.

Biegun replaces John Sullivan, who was confirmed last week as the new U.S. ambassador to Russia.

Biegun is currently visiting China to meet with Chinese officials over North Korea after visiting South Korea and Japan earlier this week.

He is expected to keep his role as chief negotiator for the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.