Trump notes strong U.S. alliances with S. Korea, Japan

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump met with the top national security advisers of South Korea and Japan in Washington on Wednesday and noted that the two countries are among the strongest U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, the White House said.

Trump met briefly with Chung Eui-yong, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, and his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Kitamura, and expressed appreciation for the "support and deep friendship" the U.S. shares with both countries, the White House said in a readout sent late Wednesday.

In a post on Twitter, the White House National Security Council said National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien had "great bilateral and trilateral meetings" with his Korean and Japanese counterparts.

"Discussions covered Iran, DPRK-related developments and the importance of trilateral security cooperation," it said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

hague@yna.co.kr
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