The U.S. State Department has expressed deep regret over the sexual assault of a South Korean teenager in Dongducheon by a U.S. Forces Korea soldier.

Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell telephoned South Korea’s Ambassador to the U.S. Han Duck-soo on Wednesday and expressed regret over the recent incident.

The U.S. officials vowed to closely cooperate with the South Korean government in thoroughly investigating the case.

Burns noted that the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, Major General Edward Cardon, issued a statement urging for the Korean people’s pardon over the recent case. Cardon leads the division the offending USFK soldier belongs to.