Top diplomats of South Korea and Britain held talks via phone on Monday to discuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said that in the phone talks with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha expressed her wish for the fast recovery of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Secretary Raab was appointed to take over Johnson's duties after the prime minister was sent to intensive care on Monday as his symptoms worsened. 

The British secretary called for Seoul's cooperation in London's plan to enhance its virus testing capacity and expand its purchase of South Korean diagnostic kits. 
 
Minister Kang stressed the need to keep cooperation between the two countries and maintain their direct flight routes to ensure there is no disruption in human exchanges despite the COVID-19 crisis.   

Raab agreed on the need to keep the direct flight routes open, citing last week's repatriation of British citizens from Laos via Incheon International Airport.