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