South Korea and Japan held a commemorative reception in Seoul on Monday to mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The event, hosted by the Japanese Embassy and attended by senior South Korean officials, featured a video message from President Lee Jae-myung, who emphasized the need for the two countries to “join hands and move toward a better future.” A reciprocal event is scheduled to take place in Tokyo on June 19, hosted by the South Korean embassy.

Separately, South Korea’s prime minister-designate Kim Min-seok met with Akihisa Nagashima, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s adviser for national security, who was in Seoul for the anniversary event. According to the ROK Prime Minister’s Office, the two discussed the future of bilateral cooperation under the new Lee administration and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening trilateral coordination with the U.S. amid a shifting security environment.