President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to improve frayed bilateral ties amid colonial-era disputes and to further cooperate in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue.

The agreement came during a phone conversation between Yoon and Kishida on Friday, in which the Japanese leader delivered his congratulatory message.

Yoon's spokesperson Kim Eun-hye said the president-elect suggested that the two sides work together to promote friendly cooperation, as they jointly face many tasks concerning Northeast Asia's security and economic prosperity.

Calling for a rational resolution to disputes in a way that coincides with mutual interests, Yoon expressed hope for the two sides and the U.S. to further reinforce their three-way coordination in addressing Korean Peninsula issues.

The two also agreed to work towards a leaders' summit soon after Yoon's inauguration in May.

According to Japanese media outlets, Kishida said he had told the president-elect that sound ties between Seoul and Tokyo ties are indispensable in protecting international order and securing both regional and global peace and stability.