Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan held a ROK-US Foreign Ministers’ meeting with US Secretary of State Clinton in Washington on June 5 to discuss ways to deal with the North Korean nuclear situation as well as how the two countries can work together in this regard. They also had an opportunity to make coordination for the success of the ROK-US Summit slated for June 16.

After a review of the current status of the discussions within the UN Security Council with regard to North Korea’s provocations including its second nuclear test, Foreign Minister Yu and Secretary of State Clinton had an in-depth discussion on how to deal with them.

The two sides reaffirmed that they will sternly address the current situation through countermeasures, including a UN Security Council resolution, based on solid Korea-US collaboration. Building on that bilateral collaboration, the two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation among the five countries including Japan, China and Russia in order to prepare against the North Korean situation further deteriorating. They also drew a common understanding that they will continue to make diplomatic efforts to resume and move the Six-party Talks forward.
 
The two ministers shared the view that the ROK-US Summit on June 16 will further consolidate mutual trust and bond as well as serve as a valuable occasion to deepen and develop the ROK-US strategic alliance into a future-oriented one. They also agreed that they will promote policy consensus and base for cooperation through in-depth consultations and exchange of views on key bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest, while working closely together for the success of the ROK-US Summit.

While in Washington, Foreign Minister Yu also met with high-ranking US government officials and experts in Korean-Peninsula affairs including Energy Deputy Secretary Poneman, Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Einhorn, and President of the Korea Economic Institute Pritchard and exchanged wide-ranging views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula such as the North Korean nuclear issue and ROK-US relations.