WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - A top US diplomat handling North Korea will travel to South Korea, Japan and China later this week to meet with officials and discuss policy toward the isolated country, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

Ambassador Sung Kim, the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will be in Seoul on Thursday to meet with senior government officials, including South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Hwang Joon-kook.

Kim will then visit Japan to meet with officials in Tokyo on Monday, the State Department said.

On Dec 9, he will participate in meetings on the US-Japan alliance and other related matters.

On Dec 10, he will be in China to hold meetings with senior government officials, including Beijing's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei.