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South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks with interim US President-elect Joe Biden on the phone at the Blue House on Nov. 12. (provided by the Blue House)

In South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s first phone call with interim US President-elect Joe Biden on Nov. 12, the two agreed to work together closely on matters affecting the Korean Peninsula, such as seeking a solution to the North Korean nuclear issue.

Moon and Biden spoke together for 14 minutes in the phone call, which began at 9 am on Thursday. The call agenda included four items: the ROK-US alliance, the North Korean nuclear issue, COVID-19, and action on climate change.

Moon’s spokesperson Kang Min-seok said during a briefing at the Blue House press center that Moon had congratulated Biden on his interim victory in the presidential election, a result that Moon said reflected the American people’s high expectations about Biden’s long experience with governance and his outstanding leadership ability.

In particular, Moon thanked Biden for taking an interest and showing his commitment to developing the US’ relationship with South Korea and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula. In that context, Moon mentioned how Biden had laid several wreaths at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on Veteran’s Day and how he’d reaffirmed the strength of the ROK-US alliance in a column recently submitted to the South Korean media.

Moon expressed his hope that the two would “continue communicating closely about the goals of achieving denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and the future-oriented development of the ROK-US alliance, which has become a foundation for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.”

In response, Biden described South Korea as “the linchpin of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region” and stressed that the US would “continue to firmly maintain our defense commitment to South Korea and cooperate closely to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.”

Biden and Moon also promised to expand cooperation on COVID-19 and climate change. Biden said he looks forward to close cooperation with South Korea on the COVID-19 response, health security, the global economic recovery, climate change, democracy, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden also told Moon that he admired South Korea’s deft handling of the pandemic, considering that the two countries had reported their first case of COVID-19 on the same day.

The US has a long way to go before it can match South Korea’s response, Biden said, while adding that he was encouraged about the potential of vaccines under development and that he’d start working to bring the pandemic under control now, even before his official inauguration.

Moon and Biden also agreed to meet in person as soon as possible, following his inauguration next January.

By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter

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