National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (left) and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker (Yonhap) National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac met with visiting US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker on Tuesday, welcoming the launch of follow-up negotiations on an agreement reached by their countries' leaders last year."We hope that two days of productive talks will help accelerate progress on the matter," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release."Both sides reaffirmed the ROK-US alliance as a central pillar of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific, and pledged to maintain close dialogue and cooperation on regional developments, including on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East," it added.The two are also believed to have discussed a range of pending issues, including Seoul's push to secure greater authority to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for its envisioned nuclear-powered submarines.The talks could also cover the allies' plan to transfer wartime operational control of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul.Leading a US delegation, Hooker arrived in South Korea on Monday as the allies are set to begin follow-up talks on an agreement reached by President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in October on Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines.The two sides are expected to discuss uranium reprocessing Wednesday. (Yonhap)