Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon has attended a conference call with his counterparts from the United States and 18 other countries to discuss cooperation over the situation in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

During Wednesday's conference led by US. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, most participants shared the need for close cooperation to ensure the restoration of peace in Afghanistan and the safe return home of their citizens, the ministry said.

Among the participating countries in the phone talks were Canada, Japan, Australia, India, Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy.

Afghanistan has been thrown into turmoil as the ongoing pullout of US forces to end 20 years of war has led to the collapse of the Western-backed government in Kabul, the Taliban militant group's return to power and an exodus of Afghans desperate to flee.

South Korea has temporarily closed its embassy in Kabul and evacuated all of its citizens and diplomatic staff to safe places outside the country. (Yonhap)