A former South Korean ambassador to France will be granted a French order of merit for his contributions to bilateral relations, the French embassy said Thursday.
  

Lee Hye-min, who served in Paris from 2012 to 2015, will receive the Grand Officier de l'Ordre national du Merite during a reception at the embassy later in the day.
  

Lee, who currently serves as the South Korean sherpa to the G20, has been recognized for his "great contributions" to the development of bilateral ties, including preparations for President Park Geun-hye's official visit to France in November 2013 and the South Korea-France years of exchange, 2015-2016, an embassy official said. (Yonhap)