[Asia Economy Reporter Kwak Min-jae] The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan met on the 18th (local time) in Munich, Germany, to discuss bilateral issues including compensation for forced labor during the Japanese colonial period.
Following the meeting between Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release, "Based on the agreement between the two heads of state last November to strive for an early resolution of Korea-Japan issues, we exchanged candid opinions on overall Korea-Japan relations, including the forced labor issue."
It added, "The two foreign ministers agreed to restore Korea-Japan relations to a healthy state and to continue close communication at various levels between diplomatic authorities to achieve an early resolution of pending issues."
It also stated that the two foreign ministers reaffirmed the importance of cooperation between South Korea and Japan in addressing various challenges faced by the international community.
They strongly condemned North Korea's continued provocations, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day. They shared the recognition that Korea-Japan and Korea-US-Japan cooperation is necessary for the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Minister Park said, "We discussed all possible issues on major points," and added, "I urged the Japanese side to make a political decision for a sincere response."
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Park and Foreign Minister Hayashi, who visited Munich to attend the Munich Security Conference, held a meeting lasting about 35 minutes.
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