South Korea's newly-elected President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed during a telephone call to strengthen bilateral ties, a South Korean presidential spokesperson said on Monday.

South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation and vowed to seek ways to deepen bilateral ties so both nations can respond together to future challenges.

South Korea’s newly elected President Lee Jae-myung has appointed Yeo Han-koo as the country’s chief trade negotiator amid tariff talks with the US, according to the Yonhap news agency on Tuesday. Yeo Han-koo previously served as trade minister under the Moon Jae-in administration.