Amid a thaw on the Korean Peninsula, the US State Department reiterated its “close contact” with South Korea in coordinating the allies’ engagement with North Korea, Voice of America reported Tuesday. 

“We remain in close contact with the ROK to coordinate our DPRK engagement,” an unnamed state department official told VOA when asked about the two Koreas’ recent decision to hold a cross-border basketball match and make a joint entrance at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games in August. DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is North Korea’s official name.

The official added that despite US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s “bold first step to transform the US-North Korea relations,” alluding to the summit held on June 12 in Singapore, “a great deal of work remains” for both sides to discuss sports and cultural exchanges.

“Should the DPRK follow through on its commitments, we look forward to eventually helping normalize North Korea’s place in the international community,” the official said.

South and North Korea agreed to march together and form unified teams for certain sports at the upcoming Asian Games as well as to hold a basketball match in Pyongyang next month, the Seoul government said Monday.

The agreement came after officials from the two sides met Monday at the Peace House, located on the southern part of the border village of Panmunjeom, to discuss ways to expand sports exchanges.

(mkjung@heraldcorp.com)