Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho has stressed the importance of cooperation between South Korea and Japan in meetings with top Japanese officials. 

According to Japan’s Kyodo News on Thursday, Kim met with Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo on Thursday afternoon to exchange views on the security situation concerning North Korea.

Kyodo said Kim reiterated the Seoul government’s support for the immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea. 

Kim also held a separate meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

In the meeting, Kim said close cooperation between the two countries is very important for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world, calling for efforts to build a future-oriented cooperative relationship between Seoul and Tokyo. 

Iwaya reportedly emphasized that relations between South Korea and Japan and cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan are crucial in today’s strategic environment, saying South Korea and Japan are important neighbors that must collaborate as partners on various issues in the international community.