TURKISH CENTER for ASIA PACIFIC STUDIES
In this photo provided by the foreign ministry, Jeong Yeon-doo (R), vice minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence at South Korea's foreign ministry, poses with acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim ahead of their meeting on North Korea policy, at the ministry building in Seoul on Dec. 16, 2025.
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held "comprehensive" discussions for coordination on their North Korea policy based on a recently released summit document, the foreign ministry said Tuesday, in the first such bilateral talks under their incumbent administrations.
The consultative meeting came as Seoul seeks to improve stalled inter-Korean ties and help resume dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang despite the North's repeated rejection of overtures.
But the launch of the talks has been overshadowed by a rare rift between the foreign ministry and the unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs, sparked by the latter's objections to the dialogue that it says could undermine the prospects for restoring ties with Pyongyang.
Tuesday's meeting was led by Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence at the foreign ministry, and acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim.
"The meeting addressed all ongoing bilateral issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, based on the South Korea-U.S. summit joint fact sheet," the ministry said in a release after the meeting. The fact sheet outlines the details of the agreements reached between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump at their Oct. 29 summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.
The ministry said it includes: reaffirming the allies' commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula; and working together to implement the 2018 joint statement produced after Trump's first summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
It also takes note of the allies' close coordination on North Korea policy and calls for North Korea to return to dialogue and abide by international obligations against its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
"South Korea and the United States shared the understanding that close coordination on North Korea policy is vital, and agreed to strengthen communication at all levels going forward," the ministry said.
The meeting, however, came at a time when the unification ministry has raised objections to the dialogue led by the foreign ministry and the U.S., arguing that it could undermine the prospects for restoring ties with Pyongyang.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and several other Cabinet members have reportedly expressed concern that the dialogue channel could go down the same path as the bilateral "working group" run by Seoul and Washington during the Moon Jae-in government from 2018-21.
The working group was launched in November 2018 to enable close and timely coordination between the allies on North Korea–related issues, ranging from denuclearization and sanctions to inter-Korean cooperation. The Moon government had also invested heavily in rapprochement with Pyongyang and in facilitating nuclear talks between the North and the U.S.
But the working group increasingly came to be seen as a monitoring mechanism that hindered Seoul's peace efforts toward the North, as discussions prioritized compliance with international sanctions against Pyongyang.
Considering its role in inter-Korean issues, the unification ministry has taken part in key bilateral consultations with the U.S. on North Korea.
The unification ministry said it will not attend Tuesday's meeting and will have its own talks with the U.S. on North Korea policy when necessary.
Instead, the unification ministry hosted a briefing on North Korea policy for the foreign diplomatic corps based in Seoul and officials from international organizations. The ministry said this meeting was unrelated to the foreign ministry-led policy talks.
On Tuesday, the foreign ministry dismissed the view that the two ministries are in discord over North Korea policy coordination.
"The foreign and unification ministries are closely working together and communicating on foreign and security issues as one team," ministry spokesperson Park Il said in a press briefing.
The unification ministry struck a different note.
"We might have varying approaches, but we will ultimately coordinate and present a single position," an official told reporters. "The unification ministry will take the lead and engage more proactively in inter-Korean dialogues and exchanges."
By Kim Seung-yeon
Source: Yonhap News Agency
S. Korea, U.S. hold 'comprehensive' talks on N. Korea policy based on summit fact sheet: Seoul
December 16, 2025