South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have agreed to continue diplomatic efforts through close cooperation to achieve their joint goal of a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue. 

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said the two top diplomats reached the consensus during a phone call early Wednesday. They also shared their evaluations of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year's Day address.

Kang was said to have explained to Tillerson the intent behind Seoul's proposal for high-level talks with Pyongyang, as well as its plan to use the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to improve relations and help find a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue. 

The ministry said Tillerson also emphasized close cooperation and continued diplomatic efforts to bring the North to a path toward denuclearization.

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