ⓒYONHAP News

The leaders of South Korea and the United States on Thursday agreed to closely cooperate on achieving denuclearization and establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. The 32-minute phone conversation was the first between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden since Biden took office last month.

During a telephone talk, President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to work together to establish a comprehensive plan to deal with North Korea. 

Presidential spokesperson Kang Min-seok told reporters that Moon and Biden talked for 32 minutes from 8 am Thursday, Korea standard time.

[Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok (Korean-English translation)]

"President Moon suggested the two sides work together for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a permanent peace in the region. President Biden highly evaluated the efforts of South Korea, a major country involved in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, and noted that a joint stance with South Korea is important and the U.S. will closely cooperate with South Korea for common goals. The two leaders also agreed on the need to swiftly establish a new comprehensive strategy to deal with North Korea."

During his presidential campaign, Biden criticized then President Donald Trump for legitimizing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. This has fueled concern in Seoul that the new U.S. president might scrap the Trump administration's legacy regarding Pyongyang, which the Moon administration supported.

Hoping to see the Biden administration build upon the vague denuclearization agreement Trump signed with Kim in 2018, Seoul previously had suggested the two sides declare an official end to the 1950 Korean War.

Moon last month nominated former National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong as the new foreign minister. Chung in March of 2018 met Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang and flew to Washington, delivering to President Trump an invitation from Kim for the first Washington-Pyongyang summit.

Shortly after the phone call, Moon said on his Twitter that he and President Biden pledged to further upgrade the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and stressed that the relationship is anchored in shared values. 

Moon said he welcomed 'America's return' in the midst of mounting global challenges such as COVID-19, climate change and economic polarization.

The two leaders are said to have agreed to hold a summit as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic is resolved.