New South Korean envoy eager for better ties with Japan

May 9, 2019

Seoul--South Korea's new ambassador to Japan, Nam Gwan-pyo, expressed Wednesday his eagerness to work for better relations between the two countries.

Speaking to Japanese media in Seoul the day before leaving for Tokyo, Nam, 62, said he will make every effort as ambassador to improve bilateral ties.

The current situation is very regrettable, Nam said, adding that he aims to help the two countries communicate.

Tokyo-Seoul relations have been strained due to issues such as South Korean court orders for compensation from Japanese companies over wartime labor.

Nam joined the South Korean Foreign Ministry in 1981. He was first secretary at the South Korean embassy in Tokyo between 1992 and 1995.

After serving as ambassador to countries such as Hungary and Sweden, he became second deputy chief of the National Security Office in June 2017. Jiji Press