The newly launched Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs will handle the resolution of North Korea's nuclear standoff and peace between the two Koreas.

The Foreign Ministry on Thursday said the office will absorb the ministry's North Korea Nuclear Affairs Bureau, which has taken charge of the six-party nuclear talks, and set up the Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Bureau.

The North Korea bureau will continue negotiating with the six parties to the nuclear talks, while the Korean Peninsula Bureau will draft plans to replace the 1953 armistice with a peace treaty.

Seoul's top negotiator to the talks Chun Young-woo will head the new office, while Lee Yong-jun will continue to lead the ministry task force on the North's nuclear program.

Chief of the North American affairs bureau Cho Tae-yong will concurrently oversee the new bureau.