Seoul: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held his first phone call with new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which both officials agreed on maintaining close cooperation concerning North Korea's nuclear issues, as stated by the foreign ministry.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the phone conversation occurred shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump took office. The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States discussed various topics, including bilateral relations and North Korean nuclear issues, as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan.

During the conversation, Rubio extended an invitation to Cho to visit the United States. The ministers plan to coordinate details to hold in-person talks in Washington at the earliest possible date, according to the foreign ministry.