South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh held a virtual summit Friday and agreed to elevate bilateral ties between the two countries to a strategic partnership, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

It was the first summit between the two leaders since the Mongolian president assumed the presidency in a landslide election win in June.

Mongolia is a major partner for South Korea’s New Northern Policy, which is intended to bolster strategic ties with Central Asian countries. It is also part of a South Korea-led disease control and public health initiative for Northeast Asia launched early this year.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1990.

During their hourlong talks, the two leaders pledged to further bolster the long-standing ties and to support exchanges and cooperation across diverse sectors.

Moon stressed his desire to seek synergy between South Korea’s New Northern Policy and Mongolia’s Vision 2050 as more South Korean firms are joining Mongolia’s environment-friendly infrastructure projects in areas such as green energy supply and smart city planning.

The Mongolian president responded positively, expressing high hopes for a future partnership combining Korea’s cutting-edge technology with Mongolia’s abundant natural resources.

The two leaders also discussed diverse climate issues, including Mongolia’s desertification, yellow dust and air pollution, and agreed to tackle the issues together through better communication and more information-sharing.

Moon also briefed his Mongolian counterpart on the South Korean government’s peace efforts, which involved resuming diplomacy with North Korea with the goal of bringing about permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. The Mongolian president pledged his full support.

After the summit, the two leaders adopted a joint declaration that specifies concrete steps for the two governments to build an upgraded, futuristic partnership in diverse sectors.