Top security officials of S. Korea, Japan discuss N. Korea, bilateral ties

Seoul, May 19 South Korea's National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han held a virtual meeting with his Japanese counterpart Thursday, and discussed North Korea's provocations and the need to develop future-oriented bilateral ties, his office said.

Kim held video talks with Takeo Akiba, secretary general of Japan's National Security Secretariat, for the first time since taking office last week, Yonhap news agency reported.

"The two sides exchanged opinions on the recent situation in North Korea and North Korea's movements toward provocations, regional affairs and international issues, such as the situation in Ukraine," his office said in a press release.

The two also discussed "the need to develop future-oriented relations between South Korea Japan," it said.

Kim and Akiba agreed there is much room for cooperation between South Korea and Japan, and trilaterally with the United States, in the increasingly complex Northeast Asian region and international affairs, and promised to continue close consultations between their offices, it added.