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For the first time since the inauguration of the Yun Seok-yeol administration, the first South Korea-US foreign ministers' meeting was held in Washington, D.C.
The two ministers strongly warned that North Korea would take a decisive response if it conducts a nuclear test.
Correspondent Yunsu Kim from Washington.
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At a joint press conference immediately after the first meeting, Foreign Minister Park Jin and US Secretary of State Blincoln warned with one voice that they would take a decisive response to North Korea's nuclear test.
Secretary Blincoln said he was prepared to adjust the military readiness posture in the short and long term in case of any emergency.
He said he had no hostile intentions toward North Korea and was open to unconditional dialogue, but stressed that if North Korea does not change, the pressure will continue.
[Blincoln/Secretary of State: Our goal is to maintain stability and peace in the international community including the Korean Peninsula.
We will continue to maintain pressure until North Korea changes course.]
Minister Park Jin urged North Korea to return to dialogue, saying that North Korea's provocations will only result in more deterrence and sanctions.
He explained that the two countries agreed to restart the ROK-U.S. extended deterrence strategy consultative body to respond to North Korea's additional provocations, and to discuss the expansion of strategic assets and the ROK-US combined military exercise.
[Park Jin/Minister of Foreign Affairs: We have agreed to restart the Extended Deterrence Strategy Council, which deals with South Korea's security issues, as soon as possible.]
In particular, Minister Park said that he is also considering a plan to quickly normalize the Korea-Japan Military Information Protection Agreement (GSOMIA), which has become obsolete for a joint response to the North Korean threat.