President Yoon Suk Yeol held a series of bilateral summits with the leaders of five Pacific island nations in Seoul on Monday.

Yoon held separate bilateral talks with the leaders of the Cook Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Niue and Palau at his office on Monday. 

The talks came a day after Yoon also held summit talks with the leaders of Kiribati, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. 

Presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said that President Yoon on Monday said in the meetings that South Korea will establish sustainable and cooperative relations with the Pacific nations based on trust. 

The president reportedly proposed that South Korea and the Pacific nations protect the Pacific together and explore and share ways for sustainable use of the Pacific.

President Yoon also pledged to enhance customized assistance for each country in the region.   

The leaders of the Pacific island nations are visiting Seoul to attend the first summit between South Korea and Pacific island nations set for Monday and Tuesday.