Lee Jae-myung, the ruling Democratic Party's candidate for the South Korean presidential election next week, said he is willing to hold talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, if elected new leader, to address the two neighbors' souring relations.

In a recent interview with Kyodo News, his first with Japanese media after becoming the official candidate last October, the former Gyeonggi province governor said it is important to improve ties between South Korea and Japan for not only the people of the two countries but also for the peace and stability of the Northeast Asia region.

The two countries have not held an in-person summit since December 2019, as they have been at odds over issues such as wartime forced labor and the issue of "comfort women," a euphemism for women who suffered under Japan’s military brothel system before and during World War II.