Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young met with new Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming on Friday and discussed joint efforts to fight the new coronavirus and other bilateral issues, the foreign ministry said.

Their first meeting came after a South Korean chartered flight brought home earlier in the day 368 nationals from China's Wuhan city, the epicenter of the highly contagious disease. Seoul is seeking to send another plane later tonight to evacuate the remaining 350.

The new top envoy was visiting the foreign ministry to present a copy of his credentials. He arrived in Seoul last Thursday to take up the post.

During the talks, Cho offered condolences over the deaths from the disease in China, where the virus has claimed more than 200 lives, and held out hopes that the current crisis can quickly come to an end.

He also thanked the Chinese side for its support in the evacuation of South Koreans and asked for continued cooperation in Seoul's efforts to secure the safety of Korean citizens, the ministry said.

Xing, in response, pledged to work closely with Seoul regarding South Koreans' safety in China and also expressed appreciation for the Seoul government's assistance and cooperation in helping contain the spread of the disease.

They also exchanged views on their bilateral relations and agreed to work together to further promote the ties going forward, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)