New Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) chairman Gen. Won In-choul held phone talks with his US counterpart Mark Milley on Tuesday and vowed to strengthen the combined defense posture based on the ironclad alliance, the military said.

The phone call marked the first talks between the two since Won took office about two weeks ago.

"The JCS chairmen of the two countries evaluated that a close cooperative relationship is maintained between the military authorities of South Korea and the US, and agreed to actively support the diplomatic efforts of the two governments for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a lasting peace," the JCS said in a release.

Won is also scheduled to hold phone talks with US Indo-Pacific Command leader Adm. Phil Davidson on Friday. (Yonhap)