Manila: The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States, and Japan reaffirmed their joint commitment to a strong deterrence posture against North Korea and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during ministerial talks, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi discussed these matters on the sidelines of ASEAN-related meetings.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the trilateral discussions took place amidst a series of high-level gatherings in Manila, including the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit foreign ministers' meeting. The three ministers emphasized maintaining close coordination on North Korea policy, aiming for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy.

The meeting followed a similar trilateral dialogue held during the NATO summit on July 7, underscoring the importance of ongoing cooperation among the three nations. The discussions also touched on regional security issues and the need to strengthen communication and policy alignment amid geopolitical uncertainties in Northeast Asia and the Middle East.

Seoul has advocated for increased exchanges between North Korea, Russia, and China, suggesting these could facilitate peace and lead North Korea back to dialogue. However, North Korea has skipped the ARF for the second year, focusing on bilateral engagements with Russia and China.

The diplomats also addressed economic security cooperation, agreeing to expand practical collaboration in nuclear energy, critical minerals, and emerging technologies. They discussed strategies to enhance maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirmed their commitment to international law principles, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Further topics included advanced technology protection, supply chain resilience, and responses to economic coercion. The ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining the momentum of trilateral cooperation through regular consultations and frequent meetings at multilateral events.

The earlier trilateral meeting this month concluded with a memorandum of cooperation to advance the deployment of small modular reactors in third countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, marking a significant step in their collaborative efforts.