The U.S. State Department on Monday thanked South Korea for sending two million face masks in support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs expressed its gratitude to South Korea and the presidential office in a Twitter post, saying the masks are being sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It added that the alliance remains "ironclad" as the countries stand together to fight the global pandemic, retweeting a similar message by U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said earlier that the government sent the masks after considering domestic supply and demand, as well as the need to support its ally.