US, S. Korea reaffirm commitment to N. Korean denuclearization
During a meeting in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the top diplomats also voiced "serious" concern about North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia, while welcoming a trade agreement between Washington and Seoul.
The meeting, the first between them since the launch of the new South Korean administration in June, took place just a day after the longtime allies announced the deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will travel to the White House for a meeting within the next two weeks.
The last-minute trade agreement before Friday's expiration of a monthslong pause on Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs included a lowered 15 percent tariff on cars and other goods from South Korea in exchange for its promise to import more American products and invest heavily in the United States.
Rubio and Cho discussed efforts to advance the shared prosperity of the two countries, including by "strengthening supply chains and collaborating on critical and emerging technologies," in addition to underscoring the unwavering strength of the alliance that has a history of more than 70 years, Bruce said in a statement.
They also stressed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is an essential element of security and prosperity for the international community and discussed the importance of continuing to strengthen the countries' trilateral cooperation with Japan, she said.
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