Anchor: The top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. spoke on the phone Sunday and discussed their close coordination regarding recent attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz as well as U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Seoul at the end of this month. The U.S. is requesting its allies, including South Korea, join it in promoting freedom of navigation in the crucial oil transit region.
Celina Yoon has more.

Report: South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Minister Kang Kyung-wha, who is visiting Russia on official state business, had a 15-minute phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday night. 

According to the ministry, they discussed close coordination regarding a series of pending issues, including recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as well as U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to Seoul at the end of this month after the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

Pompeo is likely to have requested during the phone call that South Korea join the U.S. in defending freedom of navigation in international waters.

Speaking to CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, he said the U.S. is going to work to build out a set of countries that have deep vested interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to help the U.S. He said South Korea was among the countries that are “incredibly dependent” on the resources transiting through the strait. 

Moreover, he may have tried to bolster Washington’s case that Iran was behind the recent attacks by eliciting support for the position from Kang during their phone call.

Such backing is evidently in short supply, as other U.S. allies, including Germany, Japan and the U.K., are demanding clearer evidence that Tehran was behind the attacks. 

According to the Washington Post, the owner of one of the two tankers that was attacked has contradicted the U.S.' account of the incidents, casting doubt on the veracity of Washington's claims.

Meanwhile, Kang and Pompeo are also expected to have shared their views on denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S. during their call.

This comes amid optimism from some circles that the current deadlock may reach a breakthrough following Trump’s claims that he received a warm letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week, and that he and Kim still have a good relationship.
Celina Yoon, KBS World Radio News.