The U.S. State Department says South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan have reaffirmed the importance of U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateral cooperation in the security and economic realms.

In a statement, department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Sunday that the two officials shared the view when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Nagoya on Saturday. 

The statement also said that the two officials pledged to maintain close coordination to ensure the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.

The statement also said Kang and Sullivan praised the enduring strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and reiterated their commitment to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.