The United States Monday welcomed a breakthrough deal that South and North Korea reached in high-level talks to defuse heightened military tensions, reiterating support for Seoul's efforts to improve ties with the communist North.

"The United State welcomes the agreement reached between the Republic of Korea and the DPRK earlier today. We support President Park's tireless efforts to improve inter-Korean relations, which support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a regular briefing. "We continue to coordinate closely with the ROK and to reiterate our unwavering support for the alliance."

After days of marathon negotiations, the two Koreas announced a landmark agreement that centered on the South halting anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts in exchange for the North expressing regret over the injuries South Korean soldiers sustained from the explosion of landmines planted by the North.

The two sides also agreed to hold more government-to-government talks to move inter-Korean relations forward, organize a round of separate family reunions around Chuseok--a major fall holiday in both Koreas--and seek greater civilian exchanges between the two sides.

The agreement capped tensions that had been spiraling since the two sides exchanged artillery fire across their heavily armed border last week, which sparked fears the tensions could escalate out of control and lead to larger military clashes.

Kirby said the agreement is significant in itself.

"This was obviously a compromise by both sides and again, that's not insignificant all by itself. We hope that it will contribute to decreased tensions and we're going to have to see how it plays out," he said.

The spokesman also praised the South for remaining "resolute" throughout the crisis.

"I think the ROK has remained pretty resolute in the face of continued North Korean aggressive actions and rhetoric," Kirby said in response to a question on whether the agreement means South Korea has backed down or caved in to North Korean pressure.

"I don't know that I would characterize anything as backing down. They've been strong and they've been resolute and we have an iron-clad commitment through an alliance with South Korea to help contribute to peace and security on the Peninsula," he said.

Kirby reiterated the agreement itself is important.

"The two sides did get together. They did come to an agreement that they both found mutually satisfactory. And that's the important thing. And that tensions now, which had been running pretty high over the last several days, have an opportunity to decrease a little bit and take some of the air out of this," he said.

"I think obviously we're going to have to see how it plays out.

We're going to watch it very closely as we have, but again, I think that they were able to come to agreement is noteworthy and again we welcome it," he said. (Yonhap)