(LEAD) Moon sends letter to Suga, proposes efforts to improve ties

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks, details)

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a letter congratulating new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday, in which he proposed joint efforts for the development of Seoul-Tokyo relations, Cheong Wa Dae said.

Moon's office reaffirmed that Seoul is ready to hold dialogue with Tokyo anytime.

Moon is looking forward to a positive response from Suga, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.

In the letter, Moon suggested that they make joint efforts for the development of relations between the neighboring countries, Kang added.

The president is "ready to sit down anytime with the government of Japan, which is the closest friend geographically and culturally, as well as sharing basic values and strategic interests, for dialogue and communication," the Cheong Wa Dae official said.

The spokesman stated that the South Korean government plans to "cooperate actively with Prime Minister Suga and the new Cabinet, thus wisely overcoming the problem related to shared history and strengthening substantive cooperation in economic, cultural and people-to-people exchange sectors in a forward-looking and mutually beneficial way."

Moon sent a separate letter to Shinzo Abe, who abruptly resigned from the job, noting his efforts toward improving Seoul-Tokyo ties and wishing him a quick health recovery, Kang added.

lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)