Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will travel to South Korea on Monday to shore up security cooperation between the East Asian neighbours and their mutual U.S. ally that is meant to counter China's growing regional power.

Foreign ministers Cho Tae- yul and Takeshi Iwaya held talks in Seoul, with South Korea still in the midst of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. They laid emphasis on security ties, and trilateral work with the US.

Foreign ministers from South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on Monday to discuss strengthening their relations in the face of increasing security challenges in the region and political tumult in the host nation.

Japan's foreign minister held talks in South Korea with top officials Monday as the Asian neighbours seek to strengthen ties before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. The talks also focused on trilateral cooperation with mutual ally the United States -- before Trump,

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan were set to hold talks Monday on ways to sustain and advance bilateral ties, as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States, ahead of the launch of the second Donald Trump administration.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Sunday he planned to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as U.S. president on Jan. 20, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government hopes to maintain close ties with its security ally.