A South Korean diplomatic mission chief in Japan has resigned over allegations that he misappropriated government money, an official said Friday, adding to concern about decaying discipline of diplomats amid a sex scandal rocking the mission in Shanghai.

   The chief of South Korea's consulate general in Niigata, identified only by his surname initial Y, quit last month after an investigation into suspicions that he used official funds for private purposes, the foreign ministry official said.

   The revelations came amid mounting criticism of lax discipline of diplomats after several officials at the country's consulate general in Shanghai were found to have had affairs with one Chinese woman and leaked confidential information to her.

   The Niigata consul general had served as deputy chief of the Shanghai mission before taking his last post in 2009. (Yonhap News)