President Moon Jae-in met with top U.S. officials in Washington before his summit talks with President Donald Trump to discuss North Korea issues. 

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton met with President Moon and that the two sides affirmed their commitment to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. 

State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said Pompeo and Bolton also praised the "enduring strength" of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and vowed to continue close cooperation with the South on the North and other regional issues.

Palladino said Seoul is providing essential support in the nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

[Photo : YONHAP News]