Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Col. Martin Meiners provided the following readout:

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner spoke today via telephone with his newly appointed counterpart from the Republic of Korea (ROK), Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Cho Chang-rae.

Both officials discussed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region, and they underscored the strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and combined defense posture. They also discussed the importance of continuing to deepen trilateral security cooperation with Japan. Assistant Secretary Ratner reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. extended deterrence commitment to the defense of the ROK, highlighting both countries’ historic progress in deepening their defense and security cooperation.