South Korea, US, Japan Foreign Ministers: "Will Respond Firmly if North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test" (Comprehensive)

Park Jin, Blinken, Hayashi and Other South Korea-US-Japan Foreign Ministers Meet in New York
Adopt Joint Statement on North Korea Nuclear Response, Strengthen Trilateral Cooperation

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan reaffirmed on the 22nd (local time) that they will respond "strongly and resolutely" if North Korea conducts its 7th nuclear test.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 23rd that Foreign Minister Park Jin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa adopted a joint statement after holding a foreign ministers' meeting in New York.

In the joint statement, they expressed "serious concerns over North Korea escalating tensions and sending destabilizing messages related to nuclear use, including the recent adoption of new laws concerning its nuclear policy."

They emphasized the importance of working together to achieve the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and condemned North Korea for repeatedly launching ballistic missiles in violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions resolutions.

Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the United States' firm defense commitments to South Korea and Japan.

Additionally, Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Hayashi expressed support for the goals of the South Korean government's 'Bold Initiative' through the joint statement.

The foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in key regions such as Ukraine, ASEAN, and Pacific Island countries.

The three foreign ministers condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and expressed support for Ukraine, stating, "We will respond firmly to clear violations of international law and reaffirm the necessity of supporting the Ukrainian government and people."

They further emphasized, "We will oppose any attempts to change the status quo of territories and regions by force or coercion anywhere in the world."

This is interpreted as a measure to check China's military demonstrations against Taiwan and attempts to change the status quo by force in the Indo-Pacific region.

In particular, the three ministers agreed that amid intensifying new economic challenges such as supply chain restructuring, advanced technology competition, and the pandemic, the three countries must closely cooperate in the economic sector to effectively respond to the global economic security crisis.

Meanwhile, Minister Park conveyed concerns from South Korean industries regarding the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act in the U.S. Congress and urged resolving discriminatory elements against South Korean companies in accordance with the spirit of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

It was reported that Minister Park raised the IRA issue during discussions on economic security cooperation.

In response, Secretary Blinken said, "We fully understand your concerns and will continue to work together to find effective solutions to address them."

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