Seoul: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to carry out bilateral talks over tariffs and other issues “with sufficient time,” Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. Cho made the remarks during their phone talks on Tuesday in consideration of the June 3 presidential election in South Korea, South Korea’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a press release.

According to Kuwait News Agency, Minister Cho emphasized the importance of further strengthening the alliance based on a strong combined defense posture against North Korea. He urged for close cooperation to find a win-win solution from recent tariff consultations between the trade authorities of South Korea and the US. Cho specifically requested that South Korea’s status as a US ally, and a country with a free trade agreement with the US, be adequately considered during the trade talks.

Secretary Rubio echoed the call for active cooperation to further develop the bilateral alliance. He highlighted that the relationship has been reinforced under three pillars: a mutual defense treaty, the allies’ robust defense capabilities, including extended deterrence, and the economic and technology partnership.