TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday expressed his desire to maintain the "good" momentum in relations with South Korea, as he met with visiting Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who assumed his post earlier in the month.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Monday that Pyongyang had "no interest" in efforts by Seoul to improve relations.

South Korea is studying various plans to improve relations with North Korea, a spokesperson for South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Monday, in response to a media report that Seoul is considering allowing individual tours to North Korea.

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has rebuffed outreach by South Korea’s new liberal government, saying that North Korea has no interests in talks with South Korea, no matter what proposal its rival offers.

In an unusual move, Seoul’s foreign minister visited Tokyo before Washington, as the Asian neighbors emphasized the importance of maintaining stable relations.

Since his election, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has tried to reverse the hard-line stance of his predecessor toward Pyongyang.