A South Korean has been appointed to a secretary position at the Vatican for the first time.

Pope Francis on Friday named bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik, head of Korea's Catholic diocese of Daejeon, as the new prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

The 69-year-old has also been promoted to archbishop.

The Congregation for the Clergy is the Vatican arm that oversees matters regarding priests and deacons, as well as seminaries.

It's the first time in the history of the Holy See that a South Korean has been appointed to a senior position.

Barring any unexpected factors, You is most likely to be ordained as a cardinal, the apex of the Catholic hierarchy.

Born in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, You graduated from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome in 1979. He was ordained a priest that year and bishop in 2003 and has led the Daejeon diocese since 2005. 

He plans to head to Rome in late July to take office the following month.