US, South Korea Agree To Continue Cooperation On Nonproliferation, Space - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2021) US and South Korean diplomats met on Tuesday to discuss disarmament and nonproliferation of nuclear and biological weapons as well as next steps to strengthen cooperation on emerging security challenges, including those in space, the State Department said.

"Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins and ROK Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook held a High-Level Bilateral Disarmament and Nonproliferation Consultation in Washington, DC on October 26," the State Department said in a press release on Wednesday. "Both sides... agreed to continue working closely not only on traditional issues such as the nonproliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons but also on emerging security issues, including space.

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The officials agreed to continue reinforcing the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) during the upcoming 10th NPT Review Conference scheduled for January, the release said.

The Biden administration and the South Korea government have worked on trying to prevent North Korea from acquiring additional nuclear weapons and protested all nuclear and ballistic missile launches conducted by Pyongyang, the release added.

In May, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that South Korea's and the United States' most urgent task remains the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.