{"id":61328,"date":"2018-11-20T22:34:59","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T22:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/20\/pompeo-sounds-word-of-caution-on-expansion-of-korea-ties\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:30:16","slug":"pompeo-sounds-word-of-caution-on-expansion-of-korea-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/11\/20\/pompeo-sounds-word-of-caution-on-expansion-of-korea-ties\/","title":{"rendered":"Pompeo sounds word of caution on expansion of Korea ties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday the U.S. has \u201cmade clear\u201d to South Korea that progress on disarming North Korea should not lag behind the expansion of relations between the two Koreas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pompeo said there’s “complete agreement” between Washington and Seoul on this, but his comments to reporters underscore U.S. anxiety over a potential disconnect with its close ally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pompeo said the U.S. and South Korea set up a working group, which is meeting in Washington on Tuesday, to ensure they don’t “talk past each other” on their dealings with North Korea. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was holding the talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have made clear to the ROK that we do want to make sure that peace on the peninsula and denuclearization of North Korea aren’t lagging behind the increase in the relationship between the two Koreas,” Pompeo told a news conference, using the acronym for the South’s official name, the Republic of Korea. “We view them as moving forward together.”<\/p>\n\n\n\t