South Korea and the United States agreed to maintain close coordination on security and economic issues, including North Korea and bilateral trade, following a telephone call between Seoul’s foreign minister and Washington’s top diplomat.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed a range of alliance-related matters on Monday, emphasizing the need for continued communication and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue, the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement carried by Yonhap news agency.
The two sides also agreed to work toward mutually beneficial outcomes on pending issues such as tariffs, investments, and security cooperation, the ministry said. While the statement highlighted cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue, it did not explicitly reaffirm the traditional goal of denuclearization.
The call follows recent shifts in U.S. policy toward North Korea. Last week, President Donald Trump announced a reduction in joint military exercises, a move that South Korean officials suggested may have been aimed, in part, at pressuring Seoul to support U.S. efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program. The reduction in drills also comes amid unresolved trade and investment disputes between the two allies.
Seoul has yet to detail how it will deploy its $350 billion commitment to invest in the United States, a pledge made under a trade agreement finalized last year. Washington has submitted proposals outlining potential projects for consideration, but Seoul has not yet finalized its investment plan.
Cho also underscored South Korea’s commitment to contributing to regional stability, including efforts to restore free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks reflected ongoing U.S. leadership in addressing Middle East security challenges.
The two diplomats agreed to meet in the near term to address key pending issues in greater depth, the ministry said.
