SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Director general-level diplomats from South Korea and Japan will hold talks this week amid the ongoing trade spat between the two countries, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

Kim Jung-han, director-general for Asian and Pacific affairs at South Korea's foreign ministry, will meet his Japanese counterpart Shigeki Takizaki in Tokyo on Friday.

During the meeting, Kim and Takizaki will discuss issues of mutual concern, the Seoul ministry said.

The meeting will come after South Korea implemented its removal of Japan on Wednesday from its whitelist of trusted export partners, in response to Tokyo taking Seoul off its whitelist of trusted trading partners last month.