The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed to remain in close coordination to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolve the North Korean nuclear problem on Monday, according to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone on Monday evening, and “agreed to continue close communication and cooperation between Korea and the US for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the resolution of North Korea's nuclear issue while maintaining a solid combined defense posture,” the ministry said in a statement.Cho reportedly told Rubio that the Korean government will do its best to help ensure that US President Donald Trump’s recent message will lead to the resumption of US-North Korea talks and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The call reportedly took place at the request of the Korean government following Trump’s directive to scale back US-Korea joint military exercises on Sunday, as he hinted at possible talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump recently ordered the reduction of US-Korea joint military exercises on Truth Social while referring to his “very good relationship” with Kim. During the call, Cho signaled South Korea’s determination to act as a pacemaker amid potential US-North Korea talks. Furthermore, the call between Cho and Rubio is believed to have been intended to detail the Korean government’s position regarding Trump’s recent dissatisfaction with Seoul. In the aforementioned Truth Social post, Trump ordered US-Korea joint military drills to be scaled back, claiming the exercises were “costly” and mostly paid for by the US. Trump also claimed that Korean President Lee Jae Myung had said, “No thanks,” when asked to join efforts to denuclearize Iran, leading some to believe that he was expressing his discontent with Korea’s lackluster support in the Middle East and its failure to deliver on its promise to invest in the US. The diplomats went on to discuss various topics significant to the alliance, such as tariffs, Korea’s planned investments in the US, and security negotiations regarding shipbuilding, nuclear power, and the construction of nuclear-powered submarines. “The minister and secretary agreed to combine their wisdom to further elevate bilateral relations by achieving mutually beneficial outcomes on various pending issues,” the ministry explained. The Korean government’s support in the Strait of Hormuz was also discussed. The Foreign Ministry stated that Rubio “explained the latest US efforts to restore peace and stability in the Middle East region, including Iran.” The ministry relayed that Cho “spoke highly of Trump and the US’ active leadership in addressing the issues in the Middle East,” while also underscoring the Korean government’s commitment to making substantive contributions to restore free passage through the Strait of Hormuz and to continuing specific discussions on those matters.