On Thursday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea during their first face-to-face meeting since President Lee Jae-myung took office.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the two officials, meeting at the State Department in Washington, D.C., agreed to maintain a robust combined defense posture while firmly pursuing the goal of North Korea’s complete denuclearization.
They also agreed to share assessments on North Korea and to continue close communication and coordination on North Korean issues moving forward.
The U.S. State Department noted that both ministers reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization and the full implementation of international sanctions. They also expressed serious concerns about the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
The ministers celebrated the conclusion of U.S.-South Korea tariff negotiations and agreed to closely coordinate details, including the schedule for the upcoming summit between the two leaders, aiming for successful outcomes. They also recognized the need to enhance cooperation regarding North Korea and agreed to strengthen a whole-of-government approach to achieve this.
The U.S. State Department stated that both sides welcomed the announcement of a comprehensive trade agreement and President Lee Jae-myung’s upcoming visit to Washington, D.C.
The ministers exchanged views on modernizing the U.S.-South Korea alliance. They agreed on the need to strengthen the alliance in response to changing regional security and economic environments, thereby enhancing its strategic importance.
Foreign Minister Cho stated that he hopes to develop a technological alliance based on cooperation in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear power, and quantum technology as the third pillar of their collaboration in addition to the security and economic pillars that form the foundation of the U.S.-South Korea alliance.
While the U.S. State Department did not explicitly mention alliance modernization, it reported that both ministers emphasized the strong foundation of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, which has been a pillar of peace, security, and prosperity in the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region for over 70 years.
The State Department also stated that the two ministers expressed ongoing support for their shared goals to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance, which includes maintaining a strong combined defense posture and providing extended deterrence for South Korea.
Both ministers also recognized that stable and friendly relations between South Korea and Japan are crucial for trilateral cooperation among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. They agreed to continue advancing this cooperation based on the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance. Additionally, they discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The U.S. State Department emphasized that both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for global security and prosperity. They also discussed the significance of ongoing trilateral cooperation among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan in deterring and building resilience against regional security threats.
Lastly, Foreign Minister Cho requested U.S. cooperation to ensure President Donald Trump’s attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for late October in Gyeongju. Secretary Rubio reportedly acknowledged this request and said he would actively consider it.