1. On January 28, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se received a courtesy call from Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Counselor of the US Department of State and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs-designate, and discussed ways for the Republic of Korea and the US to closely cooperate in responding to the latest nuclear test by North Korea, as well as ways for the two countries to strengthen their alliance and global partnerships. The two sides also exchanged views on the overall situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

2. Counselor Shannon explained the results of Secretary of State Kerry’s visit to China yesterday, and said that for a stronger and more comprehensive resolution to be adopted at the UN Security Council, the US will maintain close cooperation with the ROK, and accelerate consultations with China and other countries concerned through various channels.

o In response, Minister Yun explained the ROK’s analyses of the current situation and response strategies. Minister Yun proposed that the ROK and the US strengthen close communication and cooperation at each level with a focus on the adoption of a Security Council resolution and the international community’s measures to respond to the nuclear test. Minister Yun also proposed that after the adoption of a Security Council resolution, the two countries explore strategies within a bigger framework covering bilateral, multilateral and international levels.

3. Counselor Shannon said that the US supports the ROK government’s initiative for five-party talks, and this was confirmed once again yesterday by the Deputy Spokesperson of the Department of State, following a statement released by the US Embassy in the ROK last weekend. Counselor Shannon offered to closely work together in implementing related initiatives down the road.

o Minister Yun proposed that based on the ROK-US cooperation, the two countries continue to facilitate various creative forms of consultations, including five-party talks, within the framework of the Six-Party Talks.

4. Recalling that in their summit in October last year, the Presidents of the ROK and the US agreed to further strengthen cooperation on the global stage, building upon the solid security and military alliance between the two countries, Minister Yun and Counselor Shannon agreed to increase joint efforts to address a variety of regional and global issues, including issues on the Korean Peninsula.

5. Minister Yun asked Counselor Shannon to make a lot of contributions to deepening and advancing the ROK-US alliance and global partnerships, after being sworn in as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Counselor Shannon said that he will do his best for a future-oriented development of the relations between the two countries, which share ideologies and values.


* unofficial translation