U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth will visit South Korea, China and Japan this week to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue.

The U.S. State Department said Bosworth left Washington on Monday and will arrive in Seoul on Tuesday for the first leg of his trip. He will visit China on Wednesday and Japan on Thursday.

The U.S. special envoy for the six-party talks Sung Kim will accompany Bosworth on the East Asian tour.