Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout:

On August 16, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis spoke with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo to congratulate him on his confirmation as ROK Minister of National Defense and to discuss a range of U.S.-ROK Alliance issues.

Both Secretary Mattis and Minister Song strongly condemned North Korea’s second intercontinental ballistic missile test on July 28 and resolved to continue to closely coordinate responses to the North Korean threat.

Secretary Mattis reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to defend the ROK and emphasized the military’s role in providing extended deterrence. He expressed his commitment to the on-going diplomatic effort to achieve the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Both Secretary Mattis and Minister Song reiterated the importance of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and expressed their commitment to build a stronger partnership based on mutual trust and cooperation. Secretary Mattis and Minister Song will be meeting later this month in Washington D.C.