The late Ambassador Stephen Bosworth, who died on Sunday at the age of 76, was an “outstanding diplomat” who advocated “dialogue, not confrontation” with North Korea, Pyongyang’s senior envoy to the UN said on Tuesday.

“I would like to express my deep condolences over the passing away of Ambassador Stephen Bosworth,” said Ambassador Jang Il Hun of the DPRK’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City.

“He was an outstanding diplomat and a man of great personality and vision, advocating for dialogue, not confrontation, with the DPRK.

“I personally miss him very much,” Jang continued. “May he rest in peace and his soul live on.”

Ambassador Jang’s message of condolence was shared with NK News by Tony Namkung, who worked closely with Bosworth and numerous other American and North Korean officials during Track II events throughout the years.

Jang’s remarks come amid notable praise for Bosworth from his own former colleagues and on social media from across the DPRK community.

As a Korea expert, Bosworth was appointed U.S. special representative for North Korea policy in 2009 by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and served until October 2011.

Bosworth also served as a U.S. Ambassador to South Korea from 1997 to 2001 and an executive director for the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) from 1995 to 1997.

Bosworth was born December 4, 1939. He was recently a chairman of U.S-Korea Institute at School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University and received the honor of “diplomat of the year” from the American Academy of Diplomacy in 1987.

Bosworth had suffered from prostate cancer, but his exact cause of death has not yet been revealed.

All pictures: Martha Stewart-