Vice FM, Japan's top envoy agree to further advance bilateral ties in 1st meeting

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima on Friday and agreed to continue efforts to keep the positive momentum going in bilateral relations, the foreign ministry said. They reaffirmed the commitment during their first meeting since Park took office in mid-June as the two neighboring countries seek to maintain the thawing mood in their ties under South Korea's new Lee Jae Myung government. During the meeting, Park noted the continued "positive flow" in bilateral relations since the launch of the Lee government, as reflected in the brisk exchanges between the two countries' leaders, and called for closer communication going forward. Park also underscored the need to advance the relationship in a "sturdier and more mature manner," in light of efforts to strengthen the three-way partnership with the United States, their mutual ally. Mizushima, in turn, pledged the best efforts at the embassy level to help elevate bilateral relations to a new level, noting the successful recent celebrations by both sides to mark the 60th anniversaWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times