The nominee for U.S. ambassador to South Korea said on Thursday that a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization(CVID) of North Korea fits with the U.S.' non-proliferation goals.

Philip Goldberg made the remarks in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Services Committee, calling North Korea a "rogue regime."

The nominee said that while CVID is difficult to achieve, the objective corresponds very well to the U.S.' non-proliferation goals.

He said that CVID is also suited to the U.S. policy of deterrence, as well as a commitment to building, broadening and deepening its alliances with South Korea.

Goldberg continued that CVID fits with the U.S. policy of doing everything possible to defend against a rogue regime, a North Korea that is taking every opportunity to violate UN resolutions, their own commitments and international agreements.

South Korea and the U.S. have effectively pursued CVID of North Korea, but has refrained from using the term to avoid a strong protest from the North.

Goldberg is a career diplomat who served as coordinator for the implementation of UN sanctions on North Korea from 2009 to 2010 during the Barack Obama administration.