Japan and South Korea will hold another round of dialogue on finance next Tuesday in Seoul, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said Friday, in a fresh bid to maintain momentum for further bilateral cooperation.
Suzuki and his South Korean counterpart Choi Sang Mok are also expected to discuss sanctions against Russia and North Korea, which have been strengthening their ties and boosting military cooperation, a development that has raised concerns among Tokyo and Seoul, both U.S. allies.
Russia's war against Ukraine is raging despite Western sanctions, while North Korea has continued with its missile and nuclear development program in defiance of international pressure and punitive measures, as U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit Pyongyang from conducting any launches using ballistic missile technology.
"We hope to have discussions that further deepen our bilateral ties," Suzuki told a regular press conference, adding that the ministers will discuss issues related to the global and regional economies.
The finance dialogue, which began in 2006, resumed in June last year after a seven-year hiatus due to strained relations caused by disagreements about wartime history and territorial disputes. The two agreed last year to revive a currency swap agreement to provide each other with funds in times of emergency.
The upcoming talks came days after Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, including a clause covering mutual assistance in case of aggression against either country.
