The United States and South Korea have renewed their commitment to achieving the full denuclearization of North Korea, while also stressing the importance of strictly enforcing international sanctions on Pyongyang. This reaffirmation came during a meeting on Thursday in Washington between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, the first high-level talks since the recent election of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. The discussions followed President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new trade deal with Seoul and his plan to host President Lee for a summit at the White House within two weeks. According to a readout from the State Department, the two diplomats underscored their joint pledge to the “complete denuclearization of the DPRK” and voiced “serious concerns” about North Korea’s growing military partnership with Russia.
Both countries highlighted reports that Pyongyang has been supplying troops, weapons, and artillery to Russia for use in Ukraine, allegedly receiving advanced military technology and financial support in return. The meeting also touched on the new trade agreement between the two allies and preparations for President Lee’s upcoming visit to Washington. A separate statement from South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Friday emphasized that the two sides agreed to maintain a strong combined defense posture as a deterrent against North Korean aggression. Additionally, Cho reminded the U.S. of President Lee’s invitation to Trump to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju on October 31 and November 1. These talks came just days after Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, declared that Pyongyang rejects any negotiations aimed at rolling back its nuclear weapons program, insisting that recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state must be the foundation of future relations.
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