The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan will hold talks early next week on bilateral relations and other shared issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday,
The talks between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will take place in Seoul on Monday, the ministry said in a message to reporters, without providing further details.
The upcoming talks come as South Korea is working to reassure foreign partners that it remains capable and committed to diplomatic engagement despite the political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched attempt to impose martial law and his subsequent impeachment.
It will mark the first one-on-one meeting between Cho and Iwaya, aside from their talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru last November.
The leadership vacuum in South Korea has raised concerns that it could weaken policy coordination with the United States, Japan and other key partners amid growing military threats from North Korea and its deepening ties with Russia.
Japan, along with the United States, has expressed confidence in South Korea and its democratic process.
Monday's talks are expected to center on discussions on efforts to continue the positive momentum for the bilateral relations that have significantly improved since Yoon came into office.
In March last year, Yoon announced a decision that South Korea will compensate its victims of Japan's wartime forced labor without contributions from responsible Japanese companies.
His decision has led to the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy," or regular visits by the two countries' leaders, and various exchanges at both the government and private sector levels.
Also high on the agenda will likely be arrangements for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations this year.
The two sides are also expected to discuss efforts to facilitate a planned trilateral summit involving China, with Japan hosting the three-way meeting this year. (Yonhap)
