David Ellis, a former British deputy head of mission in Tokyo, has been appointed as the country's new ambassador to North Korea, London's foreign ministry has said.

Effective immediately, Ellis will temporarily work from London to replace Colin Crooks who will serve as the new ambassador to South Korea starting next year.

"I am delighted to have been appointed British Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Ellis wrote on his Twitter account, referring to the North by its official name. "I am working temporarily from London, but plan to return to the British Embassy Pyongyang as soon as circumstances permit."

His predecessor Crooks, who was appointed as Britain's top envoy to the North in December 2018, had also been working from London since May 2020 after its mission in Pyongyang temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

Prior to his new job, Ellis served as Britain's minister and deputy head of mission in Tokyo from 2016 to 2020 and was the minister counselor in Beijing from 2011 to 2015. (Yonhap)