The top diplomats of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the US had phone talks on March 1, discussing the results of the second summit between US President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un which ended in Hanoi a day earlier without an agreement.

Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in their meeting on February 14, 2019 (Photo: Yonhap)

Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said that although the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) did not reach an agreement, it is still meaningful that Washington keeps trying to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang with patience, according to the RoK’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kang added that the RoK wants to maintain close communication with the US on the issue.

For his part, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo laid stress on close cooperation between Washington and Seoul, affirming that the US will continue having talks with the DPRK.

The ministry said that Kang and Pompeo agreed to meet in the near future and share their plans after the DPRK-USA Hanoi Summit Vietnam. Both diplomats also reached consensus to have their nuclear envoys meet to discuss measures in details.

In a separate phone talk the same day, Pompeo and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono exchanged views on how to advance negotiations with the DPRK on denuclearisation and the return of Japanese nationals abducted decades ago.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said that in a 20-minute phone call, Pompeo briefed Kono about President Trump’s summit with DPRK leader Kim in Hanoi.

They agreed to continue to closely cooperate with the RoK, according to the ministry.

The DPRK-USA summit in Hanoi ended on February 28 without an agreement. But at the summit, DPRK leader Kim recommended indefinite halt of nuclear and missile tests in exchange for reduction of economic sanctions from the US. This is a positive outcome of the summit, helping maintain détente on the Korean Peninsula and the region.–VNA