U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday that the United States' recent appointment of a special representative for North Korea signals its readiness for dialogue.

Sherman, who is on a tour of Southeast Asia, made the remarks in a telephone conference with reporters in Bangkok, Thailand.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced last month that he named former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Sung Kim as Washington's new special representative for North Korea policies.

Sherman said that the appointment was another signal that the U.S. is ready and prepared to have dialogue with North Korea, voicing hope for Pyongyang to "take us up on that possibility."

The deputy secretary also made clear that Kim will double as U.S. ambassador to Indonesia while carrying out the special representative role.