South Korea’s top envoy to the United States, Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong, says the two nations have agreed to use the wording “denuclearization of North Korea” instead of “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” 

The top envoy informed reporters of the change on Wednesday in Washington, saying the previous U.S. administration used both expressions.

Cho said that since the agreement, the two nations are using “the denuclearization of North Korea” in all their public documents on the outcome of high-level talks. 

The ambassador said the newly launched Trump administration is currently focusing on urgent issues such as the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, but that U.S. policy on North Korea and security cooperation with its allies will take firmer shape going forward. 

Cho said that through close communications with the U.S. at various levels, the government will seek to strengthen efforts to ensure that the two nations advance ties and cooperation based on extended deterrence and the combined defense posture.