North Korea replaced Ambassador Kim Sok Chol in Myanmar on Wednesday, following his designation by Washington and Seoul over his involvement in the nation’s weapons trade.

Kim took up the Myanmar post in 2007, the first ambassador since the two countries resumed diplomatic relations.

North Korea will send Jong Ho Bom to replace him, Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a decree by the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK.

“North Korea likely recalled its former ambassador and appointed a new one to avoid an uncomfortable and highly public incident with the new civilian government in Myanmar,”