The top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. have reaffirmed their commitment to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea and agreed to maintain pressure on the regime. 

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a news release on Monday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha held phone talks on Saturday to discuss follow-up measures for engagement with North Korea following the cancellation of Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang. 

The spokeswoman said that the two sides reaffirmed Seoul and Washington remain committed to achieving the goal of the final, fully verified denuclearization(FFVD) of North Korea.

She said the top diplomats also vowed to maintain close coordination and agreed on the need to maintain pressure on the North until its denuclearization is achieved. 

Nauert said that Pompeo also spoke with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on the same day and reaffirmed the goal of the FFVD of North Korea and shared the need to maintain pressure on the regime until that goal is achieved.

[Photo : YONHAP News]