The top diplomats from South Korea and Japan have met for the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office in early October.

According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, held talks Thursday on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima, Peru.

The ministers agreed to manage bilateral issues wisely through constant communication.

They also decided to pursue a number of commemorative projects for the 60th anniversary of the forging of bilateral diplomatic relations next year.
 
Cho and Iwaya agreed that the two sides, along with the U.S., must closely coordinate policies regarding the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, calling it a serious threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

Seoul did not disclose details of their discussion regarding Tokyo’s plans for a memorial event to honor laborers at the Sado mines, including Koreans forced to work there during Japan’s colonial rule.

Earlier, South Korea consented to the designation of the mines as a UNESCO World Heritage site on the condition that Japan take steps to inform international visitors about the full history behind it, including holding the annual memorial event.