Seoul (South Korea), January 27: Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and new U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Wednesday that the North Korean nuclear issue is an urgent matter that the two countries should work closely to resolve.
They shared the understanding in their first phone talks that came just hours after Blinken officially took office as the country's top diplomat following the Senate confirmation on his nomination.
"The two ministers shared the understanding that the North Korean nuclear issue is a matter that should be dealt urgently with under the Biden administration as well, and agreed to consult closely to resolve the issue," the foreign ministry said in a press release.
Blinken said during his Senate hearing that Washington will review its "entire approach and policy" toward North Korea and come up with a strategy through close consultations with Seoul and other allies.
In the phone talks, Kang also welcomed the inauguration of Blinken, who has a deep understanding about the bilateral alliance and the Korean Peninsula issues, and held out expectations for further development of the alliance during her time in office, the ministry said.
They also vowed to enhance cooperation in tackling global challenges like climate change and the coronavirus pandemic, according to Kang's office.
Source: Yonhap
