Leaders of S. Korea, Japan agree to strive to improve ties

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The governments of South Korea and Japan say their leaders have agreed to accelerate efforts to mend ties frayed over Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The announcement Thursday followed their countries’ first summit in nearly three years on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Tokyo earlier had denied an agreement on their summit, in a sign of the delicate nature of their relations. Seoul said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shared the need to improve  ties and agreed to instruct their respective diplomats to step up talks for that. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said the two leaders agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries as well as with the United States.