Moon, Biden to map out 'comprehensive' N. Korea strategy together

Seoul (South Korea), February 4: The leaders of South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to draw up a joint "comprehensive" strategy on North Korea during their phone talks, Cheong Wa Dae announced.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden also agreed to work together for the shared goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and bringing lasting peace to the region, according to Moon's spokesman Kang Min-seok.
Moon proposed that the two sides make joint efforts to advance the denuclearization and peace-building process in the half-hour conversation, according to Kang.
Biden pledged close cooperation to achieve the aim, saying it is important for the allies to maintain the same position on the matter, Kang added.
The White House also said the leaders agreed to closely cooperate on North Korea.
"The two leaders agreed to closely coordinate on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the White House said of the call in a released statement, referring to North Korea by its official name.
They also discussed a range of other global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, it added.
They reaffirmed that the Seoul-Washington alliance, which has lasted for seven decades, is the key to regional peace and prosperity. They agreed to develop it as a "comprehensive and strategic" alliance to contribute to promoting democracy, human rights and multilateralism in the world, beyond the peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.
On Japan, they shared the view that an improvement in Seoul-Tokyo relations is crucial, as well as the strengthening of trilateral security partnerships, Kang said.
Moon and Biden agreed to hold their summit as soon as the COVID-19 situation is stabilized, he added.
It was their first phone call since Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration as the U.S. leader.
"I just had a great conversation with President @JoeBiden @POTUS. I welcomed 'America's return' in the midst of mounting global challenges such as COVID-19, climate change and economic polarization," Moon wrote on his social networking accounts shortly after the talks.
Moon and Biden had their previous phone conversation on Nov. 12 following Biden's presidential election victory. They agreed to cooperate closely to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. Biden called South Korea a "linchpin" of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Since taking office, Biden has spoken over the phone with the leaders of such nations as Canada, Mexico, Britain, Russia and Japan.
Source: Yonhap