The foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea have agreed to work together to deal with North Korea, which continues provocative actions, including launches of ballistic missiles.

Japan's Kamikawa Yoko met her South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. It was their first meeting in person.

The two are visiting Brazil to attend the Group of 20 foreign ministerial meeting.

They confirmed close cooperation on North Korea's human rights issues, including abductions.

They agreed to schedule a strategic dialogue between the vice foreign ministers of their countries, as well as a security dialogue between their foreign and defense ministry officials, at an appropriate timing this year. The two events were resumed last year.

At the same time, Kamikawa expressed regret that the plaintiff in a wartime labor case in South Korea on Tuesday received, as damages, funds a Japanese company had deposited with a court.

Hitachi Zosen had deposited the money to prevent the seizure of its assets in South Korea.

Kamikawa said the move inflicts unjustifiable damages on the Japanese company.

Kamikawa also met French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne. They agreed to continue to provide support to Ukraine in an unwavering manner.

They also exchanged views on the situations in the Middle East and East Asia, including North Korea, and confirmed that they will work closely together.