Joseph Yun, the former State Department special representative for North Korea, confirmed Monday that he signed an agreement to pay North Korea $2 million for the release of American student Otto Warmbier in 2017.
The Trump administration is considering appointing an outside expert as a special envoy to deal with the North Koreans alongside Secretary of State Rex Tillerson if talks advance to a serious stage, according to an administration official.
The US State Department's top diplomat in charge of North Korea policy is retiring at the end of the week.
