At the U.S.-South Korea foreign ministers’ meeting held in Washington, both sides reaffirmed their shared goal of the complete denuclearization of North Korea and agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation with Japan. The Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Jo Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., to discuss regional dynamics, including the North Korean issue, and “reconfirmed that the U.S.-Korea alliance is a pivotal pillar for peace, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.”
The U.S. Department of State, in a press release following the meeting, stated that they “reaffirmed their firm commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the full implementation of international sanctions” and expressed “serious concern over the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.”
The Foreign Ministry added that both sides agreed on the need to modernize the alliance in a way that enhances its strategic significance in light of the changing regional security and economic environment.