Key facts
- South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun pledged to help President Trump revive talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
- South Korea and the U.S. reaffirmed their commitment to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
- The term 'denuclearization' was omitted from the official readouts of the latest phone call between the top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S.
- The U.S. State Department spokesperson noted the need for close coordination on alliance matters.
- South Korea's foreign ministry stated that discussions on peace, stability, and denuclearization occurred during the call.
South Korea and the United States remain committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, despite the omission of the term from the readouts of their top diplomats' recent phone call, Seoul's foreign ministry confirmed.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun pledged to assist President Donald Trump in reviving talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The commitment to denuclearization was reiterated by ministry spokesperson Park Do-sun, who stated that the goal of peace, stability, and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula has been consistently maintained by both nations.
This statement comes after a phone call between Cho and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While Seoul's press release mentioned "the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue," it did not explicitly use the word "denuclearization." The U.S. State Department's separate readout also omitted any specific mention of Pyongyang's nuclear issue or denuclearization, instead noting the need for "close coordination on matters that are integral to the alliance."
Questions have emerged regarding the Trump administration's focus on denuclearization as it pursues re-engagement with North Korea. President Trump has expressed expectations of meeting Kim Jong Un again this year and recently declined to confirm if denuclearization remains his primary goal in these discussions. Additionally, the U.S. and South Korea recently reduced their combined military exercises at Trump's direction, a move perceived as a conciliatory gesture toward Pyongyang.