Japan, S. Korea Foreign Ministers to Meet in Seoul Mon.

Tokyo, Jan. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will visit Seoul to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, on Monday, the Japanese and South Korean governments said Friday.

Despite the ongoing turmoil in South Korean politics, the two governments intend to confirm their policy of maintaining and strengthening cooperation between the two countries and among the two plus the United States.

"I want to confirm that Japan and South Korea, along with Japan, the United States and South Korea, will continue to ensure close cooperation and that Tokyo and Seoul will both advance projects marking this year's 60th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic relations," Iwaya told a press conference.

This will be Iwaya's first visit to South Korea since becoming foreign minister in October last year. He will be the first Japanese foreign minister to visit the neighboring country in seven years, excluding trips for international conferences.

Iwaya will hold a joint press conference with Cho after their meeting. He also plans to pay a courtesy call on South Korea's acting president, Choi Sang-mok, who is deputy prime minister and economy and finance minister, on Tuesday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]