Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held her first in-person talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of a regional summit Thursday evening, with the two leaders agreeing on the importance of boosting ties amid the current strategic environment.
Takaichi, who was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, met with Lee in the southeastern South Korean city of Gyeongju, offering praise for her counterpart following their talks.
“He gave me a very warm welcome. We had a very enjoyable exchange of views,” Takaichi told reporters. The meeting, initially scheduled for 20 minutes, had been extended to 45 minutes.
Japanese and South Korean leaders agree to boost ties in first meeting