Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met for the first time Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in western Canada, as the two leaders look to maintain continuity in stabilizing ties.

The South Korean leader emphasized the need for "future-oriented cooperation" amid global trade challenges, the Yonhap news agency reported Wednesday, as both countries grapple with unilateral tariffs imposed by their mutual ally, the United States.

Lee, who was invited to attend the G7 as a nonmember, was making his first foray onto the international diplomatic stage. The new South Korean leader took office on June 4 after winning the country’s presidential election following the ouster of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his short-lived martial law declaration in December.

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