Unification minister meets top Japanese officials in Tokyo
SEOUL/TOKYO, March 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification minister met with Japan's foreign minister and its chief cabinet secretary on Thursday to discuss North Korea's threats and other pending issues, according to his office.
Kwon Young-se had talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno in Tokyo on the second day of his four-day trip to Japan, the unification ministry said.
What was discussed included security situations on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul-Tokyo cooperation on the North's threats and the issue of those abducted by the North decades ago.
"Both governments need to make further efforts to make the bilateral ties healthy," Kwon said at the start of his meeting with Hayashi.

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se (L) poses for a photo with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo on March 23, 2023, ahead of their talks. (Yonhap)
He then had a separate meeting with Matsuno and exchanged views on the abductee issue.
At least 516 South Koreans are estimated to have been detained in North Korea after being abducted by the North following the 1950-53 Korean War, according to the ministry. The North in 2002 admitted having kidnapped 13 Japanese citizens decades ago and returned five to Japan.
On Friday, Kwon will meet with Toshimitsu Motegi, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Fukushiro Nukaga, chairman of the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians' Union.
Kwon's trip came amid South Korea's efforts to mend long-frayed ties with Japan and bolster trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo to better cope with the North's nuclear and missile threats.
It marked the first trip to Japan by a South Korean unification minister in 18 years.
President Yoon Suk Yeol held summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week and discussed ways to boost cooperation on wide-ranging issues.

This photo, taken March 22, 2023, shows Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaking to reporters at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul before leaving for Japan for a four-day trip. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
Defense ministry warns N. Korea will face end of regime in event of nuclear use attempt
-
N. Korea slams U.S. over Pentagon document calling regime 'persistent' threat
-
(LEAD) S. Korea's Coast Guard apprehends 22 Chinese after illegal entry attempt
-
(Asiad) S. Korea beat 10-man Uzbekistan in men's football semis, reach brink of 3rd straight gold
-
(LEAD) U.S. House votes to remove Speaker McCarthy after pushback over stopgap spending measure
-
N. Korea stipulates nuclear force-building policy in constitution
-
5 years after signing, future of inter-Korean military accord unclear
-
Kim-Putin summit highlights strategic push to expand cooperation
-
In desperation, N. Korea, Russia turn to one another for mutual assistance rivaling U.S.-S. Korea cooperation
-
N. Korea probably sees technical advance in spy satellite launch despite botched 2nd attempt