Top diplomats of S. Korea, US agree to 'prudently' handle NK projectile launch

Published : May 4, 2019 - 13:13 Updated : May 4, 2019 - 14:41

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed Saturday to "prudently" handle North Korea's launch of short-range projectiles during their telephone talks, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by phone hours after the North fired the projectiles into the East Sea in an apparent show of growing impatience over stalled nuclear negotiations with Washington.

(Yonhap)

"Regarding today's launch, the two sides agreed to prudently deal with it and continue to communicate while continuing additional analysis (of the launch)," the ministry said in a text message sent to reporters.

Lee Do-hoon, the ministry's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and Stephen Biegun, the US special representative for North Korea, also held phone talks.

Biegun is set to visit Seoul next Thursday and Friday following a two-day stay in Tokyo, according to the State Department.

Kang also held a telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono over Pyongyang's move, vowing to respond "with discretion" to the latest development and to continue to communicate, the Seoul ministry said.

Lee also spoke with his Japanese counterpart, Kenji Kanasugi, via phone and exchanged opinions on the current situation, it noted. (Yonhap)