S.Korea, US agree on efforts for Pyongyang engagement

Seoul,  During a phone call on Friday, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed to make continued efforts to engage with Pyongyang and foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, an official statement said.

“The Minister and Secretary agreed that the South and the US would continue to make coordinated diplomatic efforts for substantive progress toward the goal of the complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Yonhap News Agency quoted the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Seoul as saying.

“Especially, the two countries held concrete consultations on ways for cooperation with the North, including humanitarian cooperation, and agreed to continue efforts for engagement with the North,” it added.

Ned Price, spokesman of the US State Department, said Blinken reiterated US support for inter-Korean reconcilation.

“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister reaffirmed their commitment to complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the secretary confirmed US support for inter-Korean dialogue and engagement,” Price said.

He added that the two also discussed recent developments in North Korea and “agreed to explore humanitarian initiatives on the Korean Peninsula”.

In a tweet after the phone call, Blinken said that he had a “good conversation” with Chung.

“I reaffirmed US support for inter-Korean dialogue and engagement, and the importance of the US-South Korea Alliance for complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.”