(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. remain committed to N.K. denuclearization despite omission from call readouts: Seoul

Seoul has reaffirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea, despite foreign ministry press releases omitting the term from the readouts of recent diplomatic discussions. The omission occurred in both the readouts from South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's call, as well as the separate U.S. State Department readout.

Both South Korea and the U.S. have consistently maintained the goal of denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to the joint explanatory material following their November summit. The U.S. and South Korea have been pursuing their North Korea policies through close coordination to achieve this goal. Questions have arisen over whether the Trump administration is less focused on denuclearization as it seeks to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The U.S. and South Korea have also reduced their combined military exercises at Trump's request, seen as a conciliatory move toward Pyongyang. Seoul plans to push for an in-person meeting between Cho and Rubio, as Cho is expected to visit the U.S. for a high-level United Nations meeting next month.