U.S. and South Korean officials discussed denuclearization issues and humanitarian cooperation during interagency talks this week, the U.S. State Department said Thursday (U.S. time), as Seoul reviews support for aid work in North Korea following the recent restoration of inter-Korean hotlines.

U.S. Deputy Special Representative for the DPRK Jung Pak hosted the first interagency director-level talks with officials from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification and Presidential Blue House, “along with National Security Council, Treasury and Defense participants,” according to a State Department statement.

“The two sides discussed the current situation on the Korean Peninsula;