Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Pamela Melroy, the deputy chief of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, on Tuesday to discuss space cooperation between the two countries, according to the foreign ministry.

During the meeting in Seoul, Cho expressed hope for active cooperation between the national space agency, the Korea AeroSpace Administration, or KASA, and NASA. KASA was launched in Sacheon, approximately 300 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 27.

"Space cooperation between the two countries, based on the S. Korea-US alliance, is a core aspect of our space diplomacy, and cooperation with NASA is particularly important," Cho was quoted by the ministry as saying.

Melroy highlighted that South Korea, which shares the values of transparency and democracy with the United States, is an important space cooperation partner.

The retired astronaut also expressed anticipation for continued cooperation with South Korea, a leading space power in Asia, in areas such as satellite development and space observation.

Both sides also agreed to continue efforts to enhance space cooperation through bilateral consultative bodies based on a bilateral space agreement signed in 2016. (Yonhap)