“Increasing challenges in the region, such as close contact with Russia and North Korea… Cooperation is more important than ever.”
The foreign ministers of Korea, the United States, and Japan met in Brazil on the 22nd (local time) to discuss deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia and response measures to North Korea’s intensified provocations, and decided to strengthen cooperation between the three countries.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa held talks between Korea, the United States, and Japan on the occasion of the G20 (20 major countries) foreign ministers’ meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This is the first Korea-U.S.-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting this year, and the first time that the Korean-U.S.-Japanese foreign ministers have met together since Minister Cho took office.
According to the U.S. State Department, Secretary Blinken said in his opening remarks that day, “Since the Camp David Summit of President Joe Biden, President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August of last year, we have worked hard to realize the vision presented by our leaders. “This is based on trilateral cooperation,” he emphasized.
Secretary Blinken cited the sharing of missile information between the three countries, long-term military training plans, and cooperation in advanced core technologies such as quantum computing as major achievements, and said, “We also promise to quickly consult with each other and coordinate responses when there are common security challenges.” “I protected it,” he emphasized.
He continued, “At a time when challenges in the region are increasing, such as North Korea’s provocative actions, military cooperation with Russia, and increasingly aggressive actions by China, cooperation and coordination with our closest allies are more important than ever.”
He said he was very much looking forward to today’s meeting on these issues.
Minister Cho emphasized that this meeting was the first between the foreign ministers of Korea, the United States and Japan this year, and noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the trilateral summit between Korea, the United States and Japan, which was first held in 1994. He also evaluated that as it was the first Korea-U.S.-Japan meeting held in South America, it symbolically demonstrated the cooperative relationship between the three countries.
“I am very much looking forward to a fruitful and meaningful discussion,” he said.
Foreign Minister Kamikawa said, “Looking at the global landscape, the free and open world order based on law is being challenged. “It has already been two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began,” he said. “Our strategic cooperation is more important than ever, and I look forward to working closely with you both in dealing with North Korea and other issues.”
The U.S. State Department said in a press release after the end of the meeting, “Secretary Blinken, Foreign Minister Kamikawa, and Minister Cho emphasized the importance of establishing close cooperation to respond to North Korea’s continued provocations and North Korea’s expansion of military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. “We discussed it,” he said.
In addition, “we also discussed efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” He also reiterated the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the urgent need to release all hostages and increase humanitarian aid to Palestinian citizens.”
[워싱턴=뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.