Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan held talks in Seoul on Sunday to discuss cultural and personnel exchanges amid growing tensions between the two nations over trade and historical issues. 

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho met with Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Norikazu Suzuki at a friendship festival promoting bilateral ties.

The two sides relayed their respective and divergent positions on a number of contentious issues, including Seoul’s decision to terminate a military intel-sharing pact with Tokyo.

Vice Minister Lee reaffirmed the government's stance that keeping the deal is "inconsistent" with South Korea's national interests, citing Japan’s stated security reasons for removing Seoul from a shortlist of trusted trading partners last week.

The two officials, however, agreed on the need to continue diplomatic communication and consultation to resolve issues. They also expressed a consensus on the importance of private sector exchanges to promote bilateral relations. 

The Korea-Japan Hanmadang Festival is the largest and oldest cultural exchange program between Korea and Japan and has been held annually since 2005.