U.S. puts top priority on coordination with S. Korea over N.K. nukes: envoy
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. nuclear envoy said Friday that Washington places top priority on keeping coordination with South Korea over how to respond to North Korea's nuclear issue.
Joseph Yun made the remark at the start of the meeting with Lee Do-hoon, South Korea's top nuclear negotiator, amid heightened tensions over the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats.
"For Washington, being together and being well coordinated with Seoul is No. 1 priority," said Yun, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy.
Yun is in Seoul for a series of meetings on North Korea's nuclear issue including a trilateral meeting among the top nuclear envoys of Seoul, Washington and Japan.
The meeting came weeks ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea and Japan. As part of his trip to Asia, Trump plans to visit Seoul on Nov. 7-8 following a three-day visit to Tokyo.
"There are many occasions for our leaders to engage each other to coordinate our positions to have a very solid and joint approach as we go forward," Yun said.
Tensions have heightened amid North Korea's nuclear and missile tests and exchanges of inflammatory rhetoric between Trump and the North Korean leadership.
This photo taken on Oct. 20, 2017, shows Lee Do-hoon (R), South Korea's top nuclear envoy, shaking hands with his U.S. counterpart Joseph Yun before holding a meeting on North Korea's nukes. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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