President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during a bilateral meeting at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday. Yonhap

VIENTIANE, Laos — Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a summit on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Vientiane, Laos, where they pledged to continue strengthening their cooperative bilateral relationship, the presidential office announced Thursday.

The summit marked the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Ishiba took office earlier this month. The Laotian city is hosting the 44th installment of the ASEAN Summit.

During their afternoon summit at a hotel in downtown Vientiane, Yoon extended his hand first to Ishiba upon entering the meeting venue. The Japanese leader warmly greeted the Korean president, clasping his hands in return.

In his opening remarks, Yoon said, "It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time today, and once again, congratulations on your appointment. Since my visit to Japan in March of last year, Korea-Japan relations have made significant positive progress. I believe this change has been made possible by the unwavering trust between the leaders of both countries."

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during an expanded meeting between South Korea and Japan at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday. Yonhap

The Korean president emphasized his desire to strengthen bilateral relations through active and close communication, including shuttle diplomacy.

"Particularly, the upcoming year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. I hope to work closely with you, Prime Minister Ishiba, to present a hopeful vision for the future of our bilateral relations, so that the people of both countries can truly feel the progress in our relationship," Yoon said.

The Japanese prime minister concurred with Yoon's remarks, emphasizing that close cooperation between Japan and Korea is essential for regional peace and stability.

"I intend to build on the greatly improved bilateral relations achieved by President Yoon and former Prime Minister Kishida, and further develop them. I also hope to work closely with you, Mr. President, utilizing shuttle diplomacy as you mentioned," Ishiba said, adding that his government aims to create a favorable environment for active exchanges and mutual understanding between the people of both countries.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, second from right, enter a meeting room of the Presidential Palace in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday. Yonhap

Meanwhile, the Korean president also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Vietnam, Thailand and Laos earlier in the day.

During the meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Yoon expressed his satisfaction that relations between the two countries are progressing within the framework of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

He further emphasized the goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $150 billion by 2030, requesting Vietnam's continued support and attention for the smooth operation and expansion of Korean businesses in the country. The Vietnamese prime minister assured Yoon that Vietnam, as a key investment destination for Korea, would provide favorable conditions for Korean companies to operate smoothly.

Yoon also held a bilateral meeting with Thailand's new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in the afternoon. During their discussion, he requested the Thai prime minister's support for the swift conclusion of the Korea-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), currently under negotiation, aiming to facilitate the construction of the Korea-Thailand Joint Industrial Complex. Yoon also expressed optimism about expanding bilateral cooperation into the clean energy sector, including Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle plant in Thailand.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a bilateral meeting with the leader of Laos at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday. Yonhap

In another bilateral meeting with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith on Thursday afternoon, Yoon and Sisoulith signed three memoranda of understanding, committing to cooperate in the areas of climate change, economic development through development assistance loans, and environmental conservation.

As the two countries prepare to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, the leaders agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a higher level in 2025.

Korea is the third-largest development cooperation partner and the fifth-largest investor in Laos.