The Foreign Ministry said Friday it appointed a senior diplomat as the country's special envoy for Indo-Pacific affairs, a new position created under a shakeup plan to broaden diplomacy into regional and other challenges besides North Korea.

Chung Kee-yong, previously the ambassador to Morocco, will be in charge of promoting South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy, and working with key partner countries in and outside of the region to strengthen cooperation in related issues, the ministry said.

Chung is a career diplomat who has served as the director general for climate, environment and science, and a counselor at the US Embassy in Washington.

Given his extensive experience in a wide range of fields and people-to-people network, he is considered the right person for the post, which promotes South Korea's representation in the implementation of its Indo-Pacific strategy, the ministry said.

South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy, announced by the Yoon Suk Yeol government in late 2022, seeks to promote freedom, peace and prosperity through the establishment of a rules-based order under the principles of inclusiveness, trust and reciprocity.

Key areas of initiatives include security cooperation in economy and science technology, climate change cooperation and development cooperation.

Yoon Yeon-jean, deputy ambassador to Austria, will succeed Chung as the new top envoy to Morocco. (Yonhap)