Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed Wednesday to restore sound bilateral relations, with ties having deteriorated in recent years to the worst level in decades over wartime labor and territorial issues.

Still, the talks between Kishida and Yoon on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly in New York were described by Tokyo and Seoul as "informal," signaling that bilateral ties remain delicate and will not drastically improve soon.

During the in-person meeting, the first between leaders of the two countries since 2019, Kishida and Yoon also shared serious concerns over the North Korean missile and nuclear threats, the two countries said.