Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. reaffirm close coordination on N. Korea

By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States on Tuesday reaffirmed the countries' continued close coordination on North Korea, the State Department said.

During their talks in Silicon Valley, California, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed regional and global issues, including the importance of trilateral cooperation with Japan, the department said in a readout.

"Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kang reaffirmed continued close U.S.-ROK coordination on North Korea," it said, referring to South Korea by the acronym of its formal name, the Republic of Korea. "The Secretary and Foreign Minister Kang praised the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and reiterated their commitment to cooperation across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and the ROK New Southern Policy."

In trilateral talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, the department said the three sides agreed on the importance of the U.S. alliances with South Korea and Japan to security and prosperity in the region and the world.

"They also stressed that trilateral cooperation is essential to ensure the future of peace in the region," it said in a separate readout.

hague@yna.co.kr
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