Seoul's Unification Ministry said Friday that Minister Cho Myoung-gyon held extensive talks on North Korea issues with visiting U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun.

The meeting earlier in the day addressed denuclearization, the political situation in the North and inter-Korean relations, including the joint rail survey the two Koreas recently conducted.

Deputy spokeswoman Lee Eugene told reporters the two sides reaffirmed the need to closely cooperate to achieve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and bring about North Korea's denuclearization.