Seoul: The top U.S. diplomat responsible for East Asia policy is set to visit South Korea later this week for discussions with Seoul officials on key alliance matters and other pressing issues, including North Korea, as confirmed by a foreign ministry official on Monday. Michael DeSombre, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will embark on a five-day visit to Seoul starting Wednesday, the official stated. According to Yonhap News Agency, during his visit, DeSombre is scheduled to engage in a series of meetings with foreign ministry officials, including Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister handling North Korea issues, Chung Eui-hae, deputy minister for political affairs, and Park Jong-han, deputy minister for economic affairs. This visit comes amid stalled implementation of summit agreements between the allies on trade and security, attributed to legislative delays in Seoul and escalating tensions in the Middle East following U.S. actions against Iran. The ministry official indi cated that DeSombre's visit is not expected to focus solely on summit agreements. Instead, it will likely encompass broader discussions regarding the alliance, economic cooperation, and issues pertinent to the Korean Peninsula. This trip follows recent indications from Pyongyang, which left open the possibility of resuming dialogue with Washington during a party congress, contingent on the U.S. retracting its hostile policies against the regime. Speculation continues that U.S. President Donald Trump might pursue reengagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his anticipated visit to China for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, expected to occur from late March to early April. Despite this, North Korea has maintained its hostile stance towards Seoul, dismissing the Lee Jae Myung administration's overtures to Pyongyang as "deceptive." In a related development, David Wilezol, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Northeast Asia, is also visiting Seoul from Monday through Wednesday . Wilezol's agenda includes meetings with Chung, the deputy foreign minister, and director generals responsible for North American affairs, bilateral economic issues, and North Korea policy.