1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun had a telephone conversation with Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Stephen Biegun on the morning of October 28 and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, including the Republic of Korea-United States relations, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global cooperation.

2. Vice Minister Choi and Deputy Secretary Biegun reaffirmed mutual support and trust toward the robust ROK-U.S. alliance and agreed to manage current bilateral issues in a stable manner.

° In particular, the two sides, on the basis of the mutual understanding on the need to establish a director-general-level consultative mechanism (tentatively called “Alliance Dialogue”), agreed to continue consultation on the way forward.

° The two sides also discussed the selection of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

3. Vice Minister Choi and Deputy Secretary Biegun agreed to continue bilateral collaboration unwaveringly on the basis of the strong trust between the two countries’ Presidents, regardless of domestic political events. Vice Minister Choi extended to Deputy Secretary Biegun an invitation to visit the ROK within this year.