North Korea's recent release of two American detainees will not affect the United States' push to denuclearize Pyongyang and improve the human rights situation in the communist nation, the U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights issues said Wednesday.

"We are very happy that American citizens who had been detained in North Korea have been released when Director of National Intelligence (James) Clapper was there," Robert King said in a meeting with reporters.

He said, however, that the release of the detainees who had been jailed for anti-state crimes will not affect the previous hard-line U.S. position on North Korea's nuclear and human rights issues.

"Our position on the other issues in terms of nuclear and human rights issues is very well known, and we will continue to follow through with our policies on these areas," King noted.

Referring to the recent contact with North Korea, King also said that no other issues besides the release were discussed.

When asked whether the recent action by the North would affect U.S. support for the United Nations' move to adopt a resolution calling for referring the North Korean human rights situation to the International Criminal Court, the U.S. envoy said no.

"We have supported the resolution that's been drafted by the European Union. The text they submitted is a very good text, we continue to support that text and we will continue to vote for when it is brought up for a vote in the Third Committee next week," he noted.

King's comments came after his meetings with South Korean foreign ministry officials.

Sources said the U.N. Third Committee dealing with social and humanitarian issues is expected to hold a vote as early as next week on a proposed resolution that calls for referring North Korea's human rights violations to the International Criminal Court.

After arriving in Seoul a day earlier, King held a meeting with Hwang Joon-kook, South Korea's top negotiator on the North Korean nuclear issue.

King also plans to attend a local human rights forum on Thursday before leaving the country on the same day. (Yonhap)