Moon, Abe hold 11-minute separate ‘conversation’ in Bangkok

Moon Jae-in (R) talks with Abe on the sidelines of the 22nd ASEAN Plus Three summit in Bangkok on Nov. 4, 2019 (Yonhap)

Bangkok:  South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a brief one-on-one “conversation” in Bangkok on Monday, Cheong Wa Dae announced.

They sat down together for 11 minutes on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus Three summit at IMPACT Forum in the Thai capital.

Moon and Abe had the separate meeting in a “very friendly and serious” mood, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung told reporters.

She characterized their meeting as a bilateral “conversation,” not formal talks.

They agreed that Seoul-Tokyo relations are of importance and reaffirmed the “principle” of resolving pending bilateral issues through dialogue, she added.

They also expressed hope that the two sides will hammer out ways for “substantive progress” in official consultations between their foreign ministries, Ko said.

Moon proposed a review of whether higher-level consultations are necessary, and Abe agreed to explore a resolution by use of “every available means,” she said.

The relations between the neighboring countries have further soured since Tokyo’s toughening of export curbs against Seoul in early July in apparent protest over historical issues.

Moon and Abe had their last official talks in September last year, when they attended a United Nations General Assembly session. They met each other in Osaka in late June during a Group of 20 summit.

YONHAP