 South Korea's Minister of National Defense Suh Wook. (Photo: Yonhap/VNA) |
The two defense chiefs asserted that the ties between Washington and Seoul are "more important than ever" and pledged to "openly communicate on relevant issues."
The same day, Austin called Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi, with the pair pledging to further bolster the US-Japan alliance and maintain and strengthen a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” according to Japan's Defense Ministry.
On the North Korean nuclear issue, the ministry said that Tokyo and Washington would continue to work together toward the goal of the “complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement” of all of Pyongyang’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles “of all ranges.”