Robert King to Be Next NK Human Rights Special Envoy? (Updated)

So says a reader I trust.  The little I know is that he was a staffer who worked for Rep. Tom Lantos, meaning he probably knows plenty about foreign policy and shares his former boss’s interest in human rights, but may not have much specific Asia expertise.  Here’s a photo of him.

There are three things that I like about King without knowing anything else.  First, he’s not a State Department insider.  Second, he’s not the same person who will serve as Special Envoy on the nuclear negotiations (human rights advocates had feared that the positions would be dual-hatted and that the job of HR special envoy would be swallowed by the nuclear diplomacy).  Third, when I first heard King’s name floated, the suggestion was not packaged with any objections.

If anyone knows anything else, kindly drop a comment or e-mail me.  Thanks.

Update:  The Chosun Ilbo is reporting it.  It sounds like King’s main area of concentration is Europe.