US Reaffirms North Korea's 'Complete Denuclearization,' Says Dialogue Possibility "Is Open"

The foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to the 'complete denuclearization' of North Korea. Concerns had been raised about a potential 'small deal' aimed at nuclear arms reduction, as key figures in the U.S. diplomatic and security circles, including President Donald Trump, referred to North Korea as a nuclear power. However, this meeting is expected to dispel such worries.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol (far right) and U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio (far left) held a foreign ministers' meeting on the 15th (local time) during their attendance at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On the 15th (local time), Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio held a foreign ministers' meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany, where they discussed these issues. Both countries' joint statements emphasized their commitment to the goal of North Korea's complete denuclearization. Notably, the U.S. issued a statement from the State Department spokesperson highlighting the Trump administration's openness to dialogue with North Korea, a point absent from South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

This meeting marked the first high-level talks between South Korea and the U.S. since the inauguration of the second Trump administration. The discussion reportedly lasted about 40 minutes, exceeding the initially scheduled time by approximately 10 minutes. Minister Cho emphasized that "South Korea is the optimal partner for building a safe, strong, and prosperous alliance," and stated, "Under the new U.S. administration, we will further expand and strengthen cooperation on North Korea, extended deterrence, trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, as well as investment and economic collaboration." Secretary Rubio responded, "Regardless of domestic situations in each country, we aim to maintain a stable relationship of trust."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "In the future, South Korea and the U.S. will closely cooperate in the formulation and implementation of North Korea policies." This is interpreted as a response to concerns that South Korea might be sidelined in the process of resuming North Korea-U.S. talks.

Meanwhile, despite about a month having passed since President Trump's inauguration, summit-level diplomacy between South Korea and the U.S. has yet to take place. However, the U.S. State Department confirmed that "Secretary Rubio reaffirmed his trust in Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance, Choi Sang-mok, and the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance."