Seoul: The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination on North Korea policy during ministerial talks on Wednesday. They emphasized the importance of deterrence against Pyongyang and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, as stated by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi agreed to enhance cooperation during trilateral discussions on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related ministerial meetings in Manila. The diplomats are attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS) foreign ministers' meeting, and other related gatherings in the Philippine capital.
"The three ministers shared their assessments of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a robust deterrence posture against North Korea while upholding the goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said in a statement. They also agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea policy and focus on dialogue and diplomacy to preserve peace and stability on the peninsula.
The trilateral meeting followed a recent discussion held on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit on July 7. This reflects the importance that the three nations place on trilateral cooperation. Seoul has stressed that growing exchanges between North Korea, Russia, and China should contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea reportedly skipped the ARF for the second consecutive year, concentrating instead on bilateral diplomacy with Russia and China. Meanwhile, the three ministers also addressed economic security cooperation, agreeing to enhance practical cooperation in nuclear energy, critical minerals, and emerging technologies.
The diplomats further discussed regional security issues, reaffirming their commitment to international law and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. They explored expanding cooperation in advanced technology protection, supply chain resilience, responses to economic coercion, transnational crime, and disaster relief.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott noted that the diplomats emphasized a "unified" approach toward North Korea, reiterating their commitment to the "complete" denuclearization of the North and coordination against North Korean cyber threats. They also highlighted the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait and expressed concern over China's recent missile launch.
The chief diplomats committed to intensifying efforts against transnational criminal organizations and expanding discussions on Arctic issues. They reaffirmed commitments to defense cooperation, maritime security, and freedom of navigation. Furthermore, they discussed implementing a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on Small Modular Reactor Deployments, advancing energy diversification and technology cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The MOC was signed earlier this month during a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. The diplomats reiterated their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and vowed to continue pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang.