Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho held talks with his Japanese counterpart Thursday and asked for stronger bilateral cooperation in the financial and economic fields, his office said.

Choo delivered the message during a teleconference with Japan’s Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, as Choo was to leave the post to run in the April general elections.

“Economic exchanges and cooperation between the financial authorities of the two nations have been restored swiftly,” Choo said, expressing gratitude for Japan’s cooperation.

The minister called for their continued push to deepen economic ties through next year’s finance ministers’ meeting and various other occasions, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Earlier this month, Seoul and Tokyo revived a $10 billion currency swap deal, which expired in 2015, amid a recent thaw in the bilateral diplomatic relations.

Choi Sang-mok, former senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, was named Choo’s successor.

Yonhap

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]