S. Korea says in close communications with U.S. on Korean Peninsula issues

SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it was closely communicating with the United States on the Korean Peninsula issues.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk told a press briefing that the South Korean government maintained close communications and cooperation with the U.S. side on the peninsula issues from the alliance perspective.

Regarding U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks, Noh said South Korea and the United States consistently urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to stop provocation and threat and return to a dialogue table as early as possible.

Noh said Tillerson also stressed the DPRK's halt of provocation to resume dialogue with the DPRK.

Tillerson said at a forum in Washington Tuesday that his country was "ready to talk whenever North Korea (DPRK) is ready to talk."

The top U.S. diplomat also mentioned the first meeting with the DPRK "without preconditions."

It was different from the previous U.S. stance demanding the DPRK show its sincere attitude toward denuclearization first before launching any dialogue with Pyongyang.

The presidential Blue House said Wednesday that Tillerson's remarks re-emphasized the U.S. position to encourage Pyongyang to return to a dialogue table. Enditem