South Korea's foreign minister resigned today, a day after President Roh Moo-hyun accused ministry officials of criticising his foreign policy.
Mr Roh accepted Mr Yoon Young-kwan's resignation, the president's office said without providing other details or indicating who would replace him.
Mr Yoon said at a news conference that there had been "some differences in perspective" between members of his staff and members of Mr Roh's National Security Council.
He said the Foreign Ministry should serve to implement president's policy. He acknowledged people were concerned about remarks reportedly made by his officials and said he took the dispute "heavily" and was "sincerely sorry."
Mr Yoon's resignation came a day after Roh said he would transfer Foreign Ministry officials who criticized his foreign policy.
The identities of the officials or what they have said have not been disclosed.
Local media reports have said the foreign ministry officials were at odds with Mr Roh over his policy toward the United States, although details of the dispute differ.
By some accounts, they criticised Mr Roh's plans to dispatch South Korean troops to the Iraq and his negotiations to relocate US troops based in Seoul.
AP