The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Monday South Korea has been newly elected to the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board of governors.

Members of the U.N. nuclear watchdog endorsed the election through a unanimous vote Thursday at a plenary session of its annual general conference in Vienna.

South Korean Ambassador to Austria Cho Chang-bum will serve as a governor on the 35-member IAEA board, representing South Korea for the next two years. His term begins Monday.

The board holds quarterly meetings to discuss the status of global nuclear power generation, ways of enhancing nuclear power-related technologies and safeguard measures.

It also holds special meetings to come up with measures to deal with contingencies.