Presidential Senior Secretary for Public Relations Yoon Young-chan delivers a briefing on the outcome of a phone call between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 3. (Korea.net DB)

By Xu Aiying and Lee Hana

President Moon Jae-in held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 2 to discuss the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula.

Presidential Senior Secretary for Public Relations Yoon Young-chan gave a press briefing on the outcome of the phone call on Feb. 3, saying that the two heads of state had agreed to cooperate closely to ensure the success of the PyeongChang Winter Games. 

Moon said that he hopes that the PyeongChang Olympics will set in motion a series of talks between the two Koreas, and for peace to settle across the Korean Peninsula. "I hope that Vice President Mike Pence`s visit during the Olympics will provide a turning point in this respect," he said.

"Just three or four weeks ago, many countries around the world feared coming to the PyeongChang Olympics and their participation was open-ended. Now, these countries feel no fear. The U.S. wishes Korea all the best for the success and safety of the upcoming Olympics, and will stand by Korea 100 percent," said Trump.

To this Moon replied that, "President Trump`s consistent and principled policies concerning the Korean Peninsula played a big part in bringing North Korea on board for the Olympics." 

In terms of economic cooperation, Trump said that the trade imbalance between their two countries needed to be addressed. Moon said that he would carefully tend to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, currently in the process of re-negotiation.

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