Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held her first in-person talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of a regional summit Thursday evening, with the two leaders agreeing on the importance of boosting ties amid the current strategic environment.

Takaichi, who was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, met with Lee in the southeastern South Korean city of Gyeongju, offering praise for her counterpart following their talks.

“He gave me a very warm welcome. We had a very enjoyable exchange of views,” Takaichi told reporters. The meeting, initially scheduled for 20 minutes, had been extended to 45 minutes.