S. KOREA-U.S. TOP OFFICIALS HOLD TALKS

[Anchor Lead]

The foreign affairs and defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. got together for the first time since the Biden administration took office. They agreed on the urgency of the North Korea nuclear issue and the importance of bilateral alliance. However, Washington's stance on North Korea human rights situation and China appears to be harsher than expected.

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The foreign affairs and defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. met together for the first time in five years at the 2+2 meeting. They reiterated that solving the North Korea nuclear and missile issue is the top priority of the bilateral alliance.

[Soundbite] Tony Blinken(U.S. Secretary of State)

Washington says it's considering both pressure and dialogue when dealing with Pyongyang. The U.S. also stressed that the two nations must fully coordinate their policies.

[Soundbite] Chung Eui-yong(Minister of Foreign Affairs) : "We have agreed to cooperate closely in devising and implementing North Korea policies based on fully coordinated strategies."

While emphasizing cooperation and dialogue, the two countries revealed clear differences in their approaches. South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong called for a diplomatic solution with consideration of the Singapore agreement. The U.S. officials, however, mentioned pressure and dialogue as well as full implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions. After the meeting, the two U.S. diplomats met with President Moon Jae-in, who called for bilateral cooperation and joint strategies on the North Korea issue.

[Soundbite] Pres. Moon Jae-in : "We will continue seamless cooperation to achieve full denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula."

President Moon has vowed to work towards restoring Korea's ties with Japan, which is crucial for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia as well as fundamental for the trilateral ties among South Korea, Japan and the United States. The U.S. officials said they looked forward to substantial progress in the Korea-Japan relations.