The foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea remained apart on Saturday over Tokyo's selection of a former gold and silver mine as a UNESCO World Heritage candidate.
Moon, whose term ends in May, added that he has tried to achieve stable relations by approaching historical issues and future-oriented cooperation separately.
The attempt to register the mine, one of the world's largest producers of gold in the 17th century, may face hurdles as issues dating back to World War II fray ties.
Despite South Korea's objections, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the country will not receive "any diplomatic consideration" on the matter.
Nippon Steel Corp. on Jan. 12 appealed a South Korean court order over the sale of company assets South Korean plaintiffs have seized in connection with wartime labor issues, according to a source close to the Japanese company.