Sherman "Satisfied with Consultations on Declaration of End of War with Hanil"... Joint Press Conference Canceled

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, stated on the 17th (local time) that she is satisfied with the consultations with South Korea and Japan regarding the Korean War end-of-war declaration. The joint press conference scheduled after the South Korea-U.S.-Japan deputy foreign ministers' meeting was canceled due to disagreements between South Korea and Japan.

After holding the South Korea-U.S.-Japan deputy foreign ministers' meeting at the State Department with Choi Jong-geon, South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister, and Takeo Mori, Japan’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sherman held a press conference and said, "The United States is very satisfied with the consultations it has with South Korea, Japan, and other allies and partners. We look forward to continued consultations."

Regarding whether the disagreements between South Korea and the U.S. over the end-of-war declaration have been resolved, she said, "Consultations and coordination are ongoing with South Korea, Japan, and other relevant allies and partners," reaffirming the existing principle that "we believe that when we consult and coordinate together, we always produce good results that guarantee the interests of each country and the world in peace and stability."

This appears to be an effort to dispel rumors of disagreements between South Korea and the U.S. over the promotion of the end-of-war declaration. However, Sherman avoided mentioning specific details or the current status of the end-of-war declaration discussions.

Sherman reaffirmed the existing U.S. stance on North Korea, stating, "The United States does not harbor hostile intentions toward North Korea and believes that diplomacy and dialogue are essential to achieving complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and lasting peace." She also revealed that the three countries discussed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and respecting international norms in the Indo-Pacific region.

Only Sherman attended the joint press conference scheduled after the meeting of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan deputy foreign ministers. Sherman said, "As has been the case for some time, there were some bilateral disagreements between Japan and South Korea that still need to be resolved," adding, "One of these disagreements led to the change in the format of today's press conference."

This means that the South Korean and Japanese deputy foreign ministers did not attend the joint press conference due to disagreements between the two sides. The exact reasons for the disagreements have not been disclosed, but Sherman explained, "These disagreements are unrelated to today's meeting." It appears likely that the confrontation involved historical issues between South Korea and Japan, such as the comfort women and forced labor disputes.

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