Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held his first meeting with his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi since the latter's inauguration last month.

According to Seoul's foreign ministry, Chung met with Hayashi on Saturday on the sidelines of a Group of Seven(G7) foreign and development ministers' meeting in Liverpool, Britain.

The ministry said the top diplomats met at the welcome dinner and exchanged greetings in a friendly atmosphere. 

In the talks, Chung conveyed the Seoul government's stance on the issues of South Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery and forced labor. 

Chung also said the two nations should resolve their issues through dialogue as they need to cooperate on the history issues as well as in many other areas. 

The ministry said Hayashi conveyed Tokyo's position on the matter. 

It added that the top diplomats affirmed the importance of cooperation between the two nations as well as South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, and agreed to closely communicate and consult between diplomatic authorities for the development of bilateral ties.