North Korea’s new ambassador to Austria has assumed the post, as he presented his credentials to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen last week, Pyongyang’s state media reported Monday.

While presenting his credentials last Wednesday, Kyong Hak-min conveyed “warm greetings” from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the Austrian president, according to the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Van der Bellen said he hoped “everything would go well in the DPRK in the future and the relations between the two countries would develop,” the report said, using the acronym of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Last month, the North’s foreign ministry announced that Kyong had been appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Austria. He is believed to have replaced Choe Kang-il.

North Korea has maintained 43 overseas diplomatic missions worldwide as of June, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry.

In Europe, the North operates a total of 15 diplomatic missions, including resident embassies in Austria, Germany, Russia, Britain, Switzerland and Italy, as well as one consulate and two representative offices.

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