Defense minister Kim Yong-hyun held talks with his Japanese counterpart on Thursday in Laos.

According to the defense ministry, Kim sat down for talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Thursday on the sidelines of a meeting of defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 

The two sides agreed that Nakatani will visit South Korea before the end of this year.

It will be the first visit by a Japanese defense minister since 2015, with details to be determined. 

During Thursday’s talks, Kim and Nakatani condemned the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and agreed to cooperate closely to stop it with support from the international community. 

The two sides also agreed on the need for close communication and cooperation between South Korea and Japan, as well as with the United States, amid growing threats from the North as the country advances its nuclear and missile capabilities.