Top South Korean, U.S. envoys plan talks as North policy questions grow

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States plan to hold bilateral talks later this month, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday, stressing the robust alliance of the two countries.

Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary interpellation session, adding that even close allies can still have disagreements on some issues.

"The South Korea-U.S. alliance remains fundamentally robust," Cho said in response to a question by Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the ruling Democratic Party.

"Even countries with a strong alliance can have disagreements on some issues," he said. "Our government has worked closely with the U.S. on such issues through close consultations."

Cho also dismissed concerns "circulating" about the South Korea-U.S. alliance as "groundless," saying such differences can be resolved through close consultations between the two countries.

Officials at Seoul's Foreign Ministry earlier said the allies were coordinating a possible visit by Cho to Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss North Korea and other key bilateral issues.

The potential talks come amid uncertainty over the future direction of U.S. policy toward North Korea as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in reengaging with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, spawning concerns over whether his administration remains committed to pursuing the denuclearization of North Korea.

Yonhap