A Russian radio broadcast monitored here reported Monday the Russian government has appointed Andrey Karlov as its new ambassador to North Korea, replacing Valeri Denisov.
The Voice of Russia said Karlov has already taken office after arriving in Pyongyang Friday.
A government official in Seoul said that he is fluent in both Korean and English.
He said the 47-year-old diplomat graduated from Moscow University and has worked at the Foreign Ministry ever since.
Karlov once served as first secretary at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang and worked in Seoul as consul general until 1998.