The U.S. Department of Defense has nominated Mark Lippert to oversee Washington's policies on the Korean Peninsula.

The White House explained that Lippert has received the nod to serve as the Defense Departments new assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Lippert is a former Chief-of-Staff for the National Security Council.

Lippert was senior foreign-policy aide to President Obama when the President was a Senator and has been serving as a Navy SEAL intelligence officer since late 2009.

If approved by the Senate, Lippert will take the post vacated by his predecessor Wallace Gregson, where he will oversee U.S. defense policies in the Asia Pacific.