The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States on Tuesday agreed to continue close cooperation to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reached the agreement during talks in San Francisco.
After the 50-minute meeting, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the two sides shared their assessments of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula.
It said the two officials exchanged views on managing the situation to maintain momentum for the denuclearization dialogue process through close South Korea-U.S. coordination.
The ministry said the two sides also held in-depth discussions on further strengthening the bilateral alliance while recognizing that the countries have expanded their cooperation in a mutually beneficial manner.
The U.S. State Department also said in a statement that Pompeo and Kang reaffirmed continued close U.S.-South Korea coordination on North Korea.
In the meeting, the top U.S. diplomat reportedly said Washington hopes South Korea will participate in the U.S.-led campaign to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz near Iran.
Kang reportedly said in response that Seoul will continue reviewing the matter as it is important to protect the property and lives of South Koreans.
Following the meeting, Minister Kang and Secretary Pompeo held trilateral talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for 50 minutes.
Seoul's Foreign Ministry said that the three sides reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation for achieving the joint goal of the complete resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue and regional peace and stability.
The top diplomats reportedly shared concerns about the Middle East situation as well and agreed to seek ways to enhance three-way communication and cooperation.