The following is the remarks R.O.K. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Mar. 17 in Seoul.

** Remarks from Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se

First of all, I am very delighted to welcome Secretary Tillerson on his first visit to Korea since taking office. This visit is a part of a series of high-level consultations between our two nations that has been gaining traction since last February.

Early next week, at the invitation of the Secretary, I myself will visit the U.S. to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of the global coalition on the defeat of ISIS. Our bilateral consultations at this high level will continue with great intensity.

This unprecedented pace of high-level engagements reflects our two governments' recognition of the urgency and gravity of North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. Your first itinerary in Korea, your visit to the DMZ, self-attests to this understanding.

Today's dialogue with the Secretary will be my third one in about a month's time. North Korea's latest provocations and additional threats will be analyzed, and our common actions forward will be forged upon this very important occasion.

Especially the U.S. is still reviewing its North Korean policies. As such, Secretary Tillerson and I, in our phone conversations in early February, have discussed a joint approach on the response to North Korea's nuclear programs, and concretizing our approach in this regard will be the main agenda of our discussions today. In pursuing such coordination, our unchanging goal is something that has already been declared by both countries, and spelled out in relevant UNSC resolutions. It is a complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear program CVID-based dismantlement. Under this unwavering shared goal for the denuclearization of North Korea, effective and comprehensive policy options will be discussed extensively.

Furthermore, additional provocations of North Korea are anticipated (inaudible). The assassination of Kim Jong Nam with a chemical weapon has triggered an unprecedented turn of events. As such, in addition to Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, its use of chemical weapons and human rights violations will be addressed as we will have in-depth discussions on ways to guide international collaboration regarding these overall North Korea matters.

Our two governments, in a bid to counter North Korea's threat, which is of a different dimension from the past, have been pushing for the USFK's THAAD deployment based on the alliance decision. This is attributed to the North nuclear missile threats, and does not target any specific third country. This has been our clear position. To safeguard national security and our people's lives, the measure was taken as a self-defensive one against any bullying against us. Both our governments will respond bilaterally and on the global stage with clarity and resoluteness.

The Korean Government welcomes the Trump Administration's announcement of its robust Asia engagement policy and its steadfast commitment to the defense of the ROK. Most notably, the President himself stated that, in a new administration, the ROK-U.S. alliance would be made even stronger. I am very appreciative to bolster the ROK-U.S. alliance, the linchpin of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. We are committed to maintaining our close coordination with the U.S. in the coming months and years.

I have no doubt that this meeting today will mark another milestone in developing our comprehensive alliance that contributes to peace and stability, not only on the peninsula, but also the entire world.

** Remarks of U.S. Secretary of State Rex. W. Tillerson

Well, I am very honored to be here with my friend, Foreign Minister Yun. And I thank him and Prime Minister and Acting President Hwang and the people of the Republic of Korea for hosting me.

For more than 60 years the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has remained strong. And our commitment to this partnership will endure under the Trump Administration. Throughout this time of political change, I want to commend the South Korean people for their commitment to democracy, and the strength of their democratic institutions.

We will continue to work with Prime Minister Hwang for the remainder of his tenure as acting president, and we look forward to a productive relationship with whomever the people of South Korea elect to be their next president. The U.S.-South Korean alliance will continue to serve as a linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and across the Asia-Pacific Region.

We stand together in facing what was once a regional security challenge, but today North Korea threatens not only its regional neighbors, but the United States and other countries. Efforts toward North Korea to achieve peaceful stability over the last two decades have failed to make us safer. The U.S. and our allies have repeatedly reassured North Korea's leaders that we seek only peace, stability, and economic prosperity for Northeast Asia. As proof of our intent, America has provided $1.3 billion in assistance to North Korea since 1995. In return, North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons, and dramatically increased its launches of ballistic missiles to threaten America and our allies.

The U.S. commitment to our allies is unwavering. In the face of North Korea's grave and escalating global threat, it is important for me to consult with our friends, and chart a path that secures the peace. Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended. We are exploring a new range of diplomatic, security, and economic measures. All options are on the table. North Korea must understand that the only path to a secure, economically-prosperous future is to abandon its development of nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other weapons of mass destruction.

We call on other regional powers and all nations to join us in demanding the North Korean Government choose a better path and a different future for its people. The United States is committed to supporting the defense of our allies, and we will continue to develop a comprehensive set of capabilities to counter the growing North Korean ballistic missile threat.

That is why the United States and the Republic of Korea decided to take the defensive measure of deploying THAAD Missile Defense System. While we acknowledge China's opposition, its economic retaliation against South Korea is inappropriate and troubling. We ask China to refrain from such action. Instead, we urge China to address the threat that makes that necessary, that being the escalating threat from North Korea.

The United States alliance with South Korea is built not only on security, but our commitment to our core principles that have enabled the success of our nations: a strong economic partnership, deep people-to-people ties, and democratic values. I am encouraged by our productive joint discussions, and pledge continued American support for the shared prosperity and security of our two nations. 감사합니다. Thank you.