US Strengthens Trilateral Cooperation with South Korea and Japan to Pressure China and North Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] As the United States strengthens trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to counter China and pressure North Korea, changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula are drawing attention.

US Special Representative for North Korea Affairs Sung Kim is heading to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 3rd for the South Korea-US senior nuclear talks. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Following the meeting of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan senior nuclear envoys in Seoul on the 3rd, the three countries' deputy foreign ministers will gather in Seoul on the 8th to discuss cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue and responses to regional and global issues.

The 10th South Korea-U.S.-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held with the participation of Cho Hyun-dong, First Vice Foreign Minister of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, and Mori Takeo, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "The deputy foreign ministers of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan plan to reaffirm the importance of trilateral cooperation not only on North Korea and the nuclear issue but also on regional and global issues, and discuss ways to strengthen future cooperation."

At this meeting, follow-up discussions are expected regarding the trilateral cooperation enhancement talks held during U.S. President Joe Biden’s visits to South Korea and Japan last month.

Diplomatic circles observe that the Biden administration is promoting an expanded regional and global role for the South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation to counter China.

Earlier, the three countries held a senior nuclear envoys meeting in Seoul on the 3rd to initiate strengthened cooperation on North Korea, which aligns with this context.

Following the deputy ministers' meeting, there is also a possibility of Foreign Minister Park Jin visiting the U.S. and Japan, suggesting a series of high-level trilateral consultations.

Vice Foreign Minister Cho and Deputy Secretary Sherman plan to hold a bilateral meeting on the 7th, a day before the trilateral meeting, to discuss South Korea-U.S. relations, the Korean Peninsula issue, and regional and global matters, with follow-up measures from the South Korea-U.S. summit held on the 21st of last month expected to be addressed.

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