Newly appointed Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul held his first meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris on Tuesday and stressed the importance of Seoul-Washington cooperation to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue.

In the opening remarks of the meeting held in Seoul, the minister said the recent South Korea-U.S. summit has reaffirmed the steadfast bilateral alliance between the two countries.

He added that the allies' close cooperation is necessary for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue.

Kim also thanked the ambassador for the help that U.S. Forces Korea provided to extinguish the devastating wildfires in Gangwon Province earlier this month.

He said these actions were tangible evidence of the firm alliance between Seoul and Washington.

In response, Ambassador Harris congratulated Kim for assuming the ministerial post and expressed hopes for continued cooperation.