FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 22, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said on Friday that recent steps toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula were only possible due to the deterrent provided by the US-South Korea alliance, and preparations made in tandem to engage North Korea diplomatically.

“The successful summits, between the two Koreas and between North Korea and United States, steps toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and permanent peace were only possible with the support of the deterrent and the preparatory stance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance,” Moon said.

Moon’s comment was made in a letter sent to commemorate the opening ceremony of the United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea’s new headquarters building at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys south of Seoul.