South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a phone call with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu on the 2nd to discuss South Korea-Japan relations and the Middle East situation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers shared the view that peace in the Middle East and the guarantee of free navigation and safety in the Strait of Hormuz are critically important to both countries' security and economies. They agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation on the matter. The ministers also praised the successful South Korea-Japan summit held in January this year and agreed to continue active "shuttle diplomacy" based on the strong trust and bonds between the two leaders. They also reached consensus on further developing stable and future-oriented bilateral relations.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a press release that the two ministers discussed the recent Middle East situation during their 25-minute call and agreed to cooperate toward an early de-escalation. They shared their recognition of the strategic importance of bilateral relations and also discussed the importance of strategic cooperation, including security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan.