1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on January 3, and discussed recent developments regarding North Korea and its nuclear issue, and ways to respond to them.

2. The two sides shared their assessments of the North Korean leader’s New Year’s address, and agreed to continue diplomatic efforts to achieve their common goal of solving the North Korean nuclear problem peacefully based on ironclad cooperation between the ROK and the US.

o Minister Kang explained the background of the ROK government’s latest proposal for inter-Korean talks, and stressed the government’s basic position that it will take the opportunity of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games to improve inter-Korean relations and resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful manner.

o Secretary Tillerson offered to continue diplomatic efforts based on close cooperation between the ROK and the US to induce North Korea to take a meaningful path towards denuclearization.

3. The two sides agreed to continue policy cooperation and coordination on North Korea and its nuclear issue, while actively responding to related situations on the Korean Peninsula through more frequent and closer communications.

* unofficial translation