"Trump 2nd Administration" First Phone Call Between South Korea and US Foreign Ministers: "Close Cooperation on North Korea Nuclear Issue"

On the 23rd, the foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States had their first phone call and agreed to maintain close cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Minister Cho Tae-yeol and newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio exchanged views on Korea-U.S. relations, North Korea and the North Korean nuclear issue, and trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan during their call that morning. This was the first bilateral communication between the heads of diplomacy of the two countries since Rubio, the inaugural Secretary of State leading the foreign policy of the second Trump administration, took office on the 21st (local time).

Minister Cho welcomed Secretary Rubio's inauguration and said, "I hope to further develop the Korea-U.S. alliance, which has been firmly maintained for over 70 years, under the new U.S. administration." He also emphasized the need for close communication between the two countries, including calls between the heads of state, noting that although South Korea is currently under an acting presidential system, the government is operating stably.

Secretary Rubio expressed agreement on the necessity of summit diplomacy, stating that "the Korea-U.S. alliance is a core pillar not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for peace and security in the region," according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also reaffirmed that the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea remains as strong as ever. The foreign ministers of South Korea and the U.S. agreed to maintain "close cooperation" on the North Korean nuclear issue. They also decided to further develop the "Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation," which was emphasized during the first Trump administration, and to continue related discussions.

Secretary Rubio invited Minister Cho to discuss specific cooperation measures between South Korea and the U.S. Accordingly, both sides agreed to coordinate schedules to hold a Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting in Washington as soon as possible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.