1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Wednesday afternoon, September 22 (New York time), on the occasion of the UN General Assembly and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations between Korea and the U.S., Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global affairs.

2. Both ministers shared their assessments of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, and agreed on the urgent need for dialogue to make substantial progress in the Korean Peninsula Peace Process. They also had an in-depth discussion on creative and various ways to engage with the DPRK.

3. In addition, the two ministers reaffirmed that the ROK-U.S. alliance is a linchpin of peace, stability and prosperity in Northeast Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and the world, and committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation not only on regional affairs but also on global affairs including climate change and COVID-19.

4. Foreign Minister Chung and Secretary Blinken noted with appreciation the close communication carried out between the two countries on various occasions despite the COVID-19 situation, including Secretary Blinken’s visit to Seoul in March, the ROK-U.S. Summit in May, and the ROK-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the occasion of the G7 Summit in June, and agreed to continue to closely communicate with each other.