South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has emphasized his intention to further develop his country's relationship with Japan by cooperating to overcome historical issues.

Yoon delivered a speech on Friday at a ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the start of an uprising on March 1, 1919, against Japanese colonial rule of Korea.

Yoon said South Korea and Japan are "working together to overcome the painful past" and moving toward a new world. He pointed out that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Yoon added that the two countries share "the values of freedom, human rights and the rule of law" and "have become partners in the pursuit of common interests for global peace and prosperity."

He said that if the two countries work together with established mutual trust "to resolve difficult challenges" of history, they will "be able to usher in a new and brighter future" for bilateral relations.

When referring to "difficult challenges," he did not specifically mention issues such as wartime labor.

Meanwhile, Yoon criticized North Korea for its recent policy shift, in which it labeled Seoul as the "principal enemy."

He said, "The tyranny and human rights abuses of the North Korean regime deny the universal values of humanity," and pledged to continue efforts towards unification of the Korean Peninsula.