South Korea's Ambassador to Japan Yoo Heung Soo told an annual cultural exchange event Saturday that he hopes the festival backed by South Korea and Japan will mark a "starting point" for "new" bilateral ties, Kyodo News reported.
Yoo made the remarks at the opening of the two-day event in Tokyo's Hibiya Park, noting next year will be the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties.
With relations strained over a territorial dispute and perceptions of wartime history apparently in mind, the ambassador said, "Sometimes problems occur, but I believe our ties will become stronger if we overcome difficulties, like in the Japanese proverb -- friendship cemented by quarrels."