Trilateral Talk Among South Korea, US, and Japan Maritime Chiefs: "Continued Defensive Drills Against North Korean Nuclear Threat"

Discussion on Security Cooperation at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium Meeting

Chief of Naval Operations Lee Jong-ho (left), Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Samuel Paparo (center), and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Ryo Sakai are posing for a commemorative photo after a trilateral discussion on the 7th in Yokohama, Japan, during the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).
[Photo by Navy]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] Senior representatives of the navies of South Korea, the United States, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force met in Japan to discuss cooperation measures to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

According to the Navy on the 7th, Admiral Lee Jong-ho, Chief of Naval Operations of South Korea, who is visiting Japan to attend the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), held a trilateral discussion with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Admiral Ryo Sakai, Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

During the discussion, the three countries exchanged views on strengthening security cooperation to effectively deter and respond to nuclear and missile threats, including North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, continuing defensive exercises such as anti-submarine warfare and missile warning drills previously conducted, and expanding high-level policy consultations and personnel exchanges.

Admiral Lee said, "It is very meaningful that senior representatives from South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have gathered amid the serious situation of increasing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea," adding, "We formed a consensus to continuously strengthen trilateral security cooperation and to collaborate in various fields going forward."

The WPNS is a multilateral cooperative body attended by naval chiefs from the Indo-Pacific region. This time, it was hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, with participation from 27 countries including South Korea, the United States, and China.

Prior to this, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of its founding, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force held an international fleet review in Sagami Bay, Kanagawa Prefecture, the previous day. Fourteen countries, including South Korea, participated in this fleet review. It was the first time in seven years since 2015 that naval vessels participated in a fleet review hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Following the fleet review, on the 6th and 7th, a humanitarian search and rescue exercise (SAREX) for distressed and fire-affected vessels was conducted in the sea south of the Kanto region in Japan.

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