The defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. on Friday reaffirmed their close cooperation toward the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in a telephone conversation.

Seoul's Defense Ministry said that Minister Song Young-moo held phone talks with Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and discussed the North Korean nuclear issue and response measures between the South Korean and U.S. military.

The ministry said the two officials reaffirmed the stronger than ever bilateral alliance and the two sides' close coordination for the shared goal of a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.

The ministry said the Pentagon chief reaffirmed Washington's ironclad security commitment to South Korea including its powerful extended deterrence.

Mattis also agreed that the North Korean nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully. He said the international community should continue enforcing sanctions and putting pressure on Pyongyang for the regime to come out for sincere dialogue on denuclearization.

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