South Korean and Japanese leaders meet again to improve ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul (Jung Yeon-je/Pool/AP)

The leaders of South Korea and Japan met for their second summit in less than two months on Sunday as they push to mend long-running historical grievances and boost ties in the face of North Korea’s nuclear programme and other regional challenges.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in South Korea for a two-day visit, which reciprocates a mid-March trip to Tokyo by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. It was the first exchange of visits between the leaders of the Asian neighbours in 12 years.