The United States and South Korea have agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea’s nuclear issue and work together to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The agreement came during a phone call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Monday, according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
The two officials stressed the importance of continued cooperation on North Korea’s nuclear program while maintaining a strong joint defence posture. However, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry did not specifically mention a renewed commitment to North Korea’s denuclearisation.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio stressed the need for Washington and Seoul to remain closely coordinated on issues important to their alliance.
During the call, Cho said Seoul would support efforts to turn US President Donald Trump’s recent message to North Korea into an opportunity to restart dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang and promote peace on the peninsula.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is seeking a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, potentially during his next Asia trip, which could include the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, in November.
Rubio and Cho also agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and seek mutually beneficial progress on issues including tariffs, investment and security cooperation.
