UPDATE 1 — Seoul affirms US investment pledges, intent to help with Strait of Hormuz free passage

(Changes sourcing, adds details) SEOUL, Sept 19 (Reuters) — South Korea reaffirmed its willingness to make a substantive contribution to restoring free passage through the Middle East's Strait of Hormuz, one of a number of issues discussed by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during Friday talks in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the ministry said on Saturday. Cho had travelled to Washington this week for talks with Rubio and members of US Congress. The State Department and South Korea's foreign ministry said they would push to ensure the swift execution of South Korea's investment commitments in the United States. The allies have continued negotiations on implementing a trade agreement struck last year that included $350 billion in South Korean investments in US manufacturing in return for lowering tariffs on Korean imports to 15%. The two sides agreed to keep working towards denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy, Seoul's ministry said, with Cho vowing to support talks between Washington and nuclear-armed North Korea. Rubio and Cho reinforced the importance of trilateral cooperation between the US, Japan and South Korea in safeguarding regional se