South Korea's ambassador to Australia Cho Tae-yong has been appointed as chief nuclear negotiator to the six party talks.

In a regular reshuffle of senior diplomats on Monday, the Foreign Ministry replaced Lim Sung-nam with Cho.

The 57-year-old career diplomat served as deputy chief of the South Korean delegation to the six-party talks from 2004 to 2006. He also served as the ministry's chief of protocol and ambassador to Australia and Ireland.

The Foreign Ministry is working with relevant parties to coordinate a meeting of chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, which has been delayed due to controversial remarks by Japanese politicians about Japan's wartime history

Lim, who had served in the position since 2011, is now expected to go to London as Seoul's new ambassador to the United Kingdom.