Seoul: South Korea's former top envoy to Vietnam, Lee Hyuk, has been appointed as the first ambassador to Japan under the Lee Jae Myung administration, the foreign ministry announced Friday. This appointment comes as South Korea and Japan are coordinating a visit by outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to the southern South Korean city of Busan next week for talks with President Lee.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Hyuk began his career in the foreign service in 1979 and has held several significant positions, including director general of the ministry's Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau and minister at the South Korean Embassy in Japan. His extensive experience also includes serving as Seoul's top envoy to the Philippines before his role in Vietnam.
Lee recently held the position of head of the South Korea-Japan Future Forum, highlighting his continuous engagement in fostering bilateral relations. His latest appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries amidst ongoing discussions and diplomatic exchanges.