�WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2020) US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun during a visit to South Korea reiterated Washington's willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with North Korea on denuclearizing the peninsula, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown said on Wednesday in a readout of his meetings in Seoul.
Biegun met earlier in the day with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon.
"The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed our commitment to the US-ROK Alliance and expressed appreciation for the ROK's continued coordination on the COVID-19 response," Brown said. "Deputy Secretary Biegun also reaffirmed US support for inter-Korean cooperation, and continued US readiness to engage in meaningful dialogue with the DPRK in the pursuit of complete denuclearization."
Biegun also called for continued cooperation with Japan to promote regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific, Brown added.
Trump has held three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. However, the two sides have not achieved a breakthrough on the issue of denuclearization because of the unresolved issue concerning sanctions relief.
The US on Tuesday unveiled new sanctions on North Korea, designating six entities and four vessels over their alleged exportation of the country's coal.
