Washington: The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation in civil nuclear power, nuclear-powered submarines, and shipbuilding during their talks in Washington. This announcement was made by the State Department following the meeting between South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions also centered on the denuclearization of North Korea, with both Cho and Rubio expressing their dedication to the complete denuclearization of the DPRK. The meeting took place amidst heightened diplomatic efforts by South Korea to address U.S. President Donald Trump's recent threats to increase tariffs on South Korean imports.

The two leaders explored ways to advance the U.S.-ROK Alliance, focusing on a forward-looking agenda inspired by recent summits between President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. This collaboration includes South Korea's pursuit of uranium enrichment rights and nuclear-powered submarines, which the U.S. has supported through a joint fact sheet released in November.

In a separate statement, Seoul's foreign ministry highlighted Cho's appeal to Rubio to ensure that cooperation in key sectors bears fruit. Rubio responded by pledging to encourage relevant agencies to expedite discussions and cooperation.

The diplomats also discussed regional stability and emphasized the importance of U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation. Cho urged Rubio to join efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table through joint messages advocating dialogue.

The meeting also addressed Trump's threat to increase tariffs on South Korean products due to delays in legislative processes related to a bilateral trade deal. South Korea has committed to investing $350 billion in the U.S. in exchange for reduced tariffs.

Finally, Rubio acknowledged South Korea's leadership in building secure critical mineral supply chains. Cho is set to participate in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial hosted by Rubio, aiming to strengthen and diversify these supply chains amidst concerns over China's influence in the sector.