Washington ( CNN ) -- A U.S. envoy will meet with North Korean officials next week to test that nation 's willingness to abandon its nuclear program , the State Department said Monday . Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies will meet with his counterpart , North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan , in Beijing on February 23 , State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters . Davies just returned from Russia , where he discussed continuing efforts to get North Korea to disarm . The talks will mark the first high-level contact since the death of North Korea 's longtime leader , Kim Jong Il , in December and the subsequent transition of power to his youngest son , Kim Jong Un . Washington hopes the talks signal the new regime 's desire to negotiate with the United States and address international concerns over its nuclear program . Kim 's death last month threw into flux U.S. plans for renewed diplomacy with North Korea , including formal talks on ending Pyongyang 's nuclear program and possible resumption of U.S. food assistance . The North Korea government was expected to suspend its uranium enrichment in exchange for food assistance as part of a deal that was to be announced around the time of Kim 's death .
North Korea 's envoy Kim Jong Il is scheduled to meet with a North Korean official in Beijing . They will discuss Beijing willingness to suspend its nuclear program . The death of Glyn Davies disrupted a deal for a suspension in return for food aid .