Korea-US-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers Meet After 4 Months... Likely to Discuss 'Supply Chain Issues'

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Deputy foreign ministers from South Korea, the United States, and Japan will meet next week in Washington, USA, to discuss key issues of the Biden administration, including supply chain restructuring and the Korean Peninsula situation.

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Foreign Minister of South Korea, departed on the morning of the 14th to attend the trilateral meeting with Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, and Takeo Mori, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

This is the first trilateral meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan in four months since July. On the 16th (local time), Vice Minister Choi will hold a bilateral meeting with Deputy Secretary Sherman, followed by participation in the trilateral deputy foreign ministers' meeting the next day. A South Korea-Japan deputy foreign ministers' meeting will also take place during this visit to the U.S.

The trilateral meeting is expected to cover issues related to the Korean Peninsula, such as North Korea's denuclearization and a declaration to formally end the Korean War, as well as global supply chain restructuring, a major focus of the Biden administration. In particular, attention will be paid to whether solutions can be found amid the heightened seriousness of supply chain issues, highlighted by incidents such as the 'element water crisis' (Yososu crisis).

Discussions are also expected regarding the 'Summit for Democracy,' which President Biden will host virtually on July 9-10. The Summit for Democracy is a conference aimed at strengthening U.S. global leadership centered on allies and democratic countries in response to China and Russia, with South Korea and Japan also invited.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.