By Reporter Anna Kim

First Vice Foreign Minister Jang Ho-jin met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, who is visiting South Korea, and exchanged views on the outcome of U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken's visit to China, North Korea issue, and U.S.-ROK relations on June 21. 

Vice Minister Jang noted that Secretary Blinken's phone call with Foreign Minister Park Jin (June 17) shortly before his visit to China, followed by Deputy Secretary Kritenbrink's visit to South Korea to explain the outcome of their discussions, demonstrates the close cooperation between South Korea and the United States. 

Deputy Secretary Krentenbrink detailed the key issues discussed with the Chinese side on the occasion of Secretary Blinken's visit, and Vice Minister Zhang praised the U.S. side's efforts to manage the U.S.-China relationship through Secretary Blinken's visit. 

The two sides agreed to continue to consult closely on the implementation of the Indo-Pacific strategy and the development of U.S.-China relations. 

Both sides agreed that it is important to maintain and develop the momentum of strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance, which was established through the state visit of President Yoon and his wife in April, and to accelerate the implementation of the Washington Declaration, including through future high-level exchanges and communications between the two countries and the prompt holding of the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultative Group (EDSCG).