By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held bilateral talks and a luncheon on March 22 with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya from 11:20-13:10 on the sidelines of the ROK-China-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.

At the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations, North Korea and nuclear issues, and regional and global issues.

Following the bilateral meeting that took place on the occasion of Foreign Minister Iwaya's visit to South Korea in January, the two ministers appreciated the fact that the foreign ministers' meeting was held again after two months, and agreed to continue this flow of exchanges and steadily develop bilateral relations.

The two ministers also emphasized the importance of open communication between diplomatic officials to stably manage bilateral issues.

While reaffirming their willingness to work together for the complete denuclearization of North Korea, the two ministers said that it is necessary for the two countries to put their heads together and discuss ways to cooperate in various fields as they deal with various uncertainties amidst the severe international situation.

Based on this consensus, they also decided to further strengthen cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the three countries—ROK, the U.S. and Japan-- at the global level.