U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has named Kang Kyung-wha, a former South Korean diplomat, as deputy head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ban's office announced Monday.

Kang will replace Catherine Bragg of Canada as assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator, it added.

Kang has served as the deputy U.N. high commissioner for human rights since January 2007.

Prior to joining the U.N., she worked as chief of the South Korean foreign ministry's international organization bureau.

She also served as minister at the Republic of Korea’s Mission to the U.N. from 2001 to 2005. (Yonhap News)