Yun Kang-hyeon, a career diplomat known for his expertise on bilateral, multilateral, political and economic affairs, was appointed as new South Korean ambassador to Iran, the foreign ministry said Monday.

While serving as the deputy minister for economic affairs from 2017-2020, Yun was in charge of the negotiations with Tehran over Iranian funds frozen at South Korean banks due to US sanctions.

Yun had until recently served as ambassador for international relations in the central province of South Chungcheong.

"We expect that Yun will play a key role in stably managing and enhancing the bilateral relations with Iran at a time when the South Korea-Iran relationship has become more important than ever," a ministry official said.

Entering the foreign service in 1987, Yun has served at the missions to the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Laos, Myanmar and Uzbekistan.

The ministry also announced that Sun Nahm-kook, a senior diplomat, was picked as the new ambassador to Tunisia.

Sun entered the foreign service in 1992 and has served as deputy foreign ministry spokesperson and most recently a minister at the South Korean Embassy in Britain. (Yonhap)