South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak said on Thursday that his administration will develop closer ties with the United States and Japan, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.
A new administration will come into office in February and when that happens the South Korea-U.S. relationship will be reshaped, Lee, who was elected on Wednesday, told Alexander Vershbow, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea.
Vershbow congratulated Lee, who will take office on Feb. 25 next year, and said Washington will cooperate with the incoming government for stronger alliance, Yonhap said.
In a separate meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Toshinori Shigeie, Lee said he will work to improve Seoul's ties with Tokyo, which has recently been embroiled in territorial and historical disputes with Seoul.
"I believe not only the relationship between the two nations but the overall relationship between nations in Northeast Asia must be improved," Lee was quoted as saying by Yonhap.
Lee also called for efforts from Japan to help reduce Seoul's 30-billion-U.S. dollar trade deficit with Japan, Yonhap said.
Source: Xinhua
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