US White House: "Strengthening US-Japan-South Korea Military Cooperation to be Discussed at June 13 US-Japan Summit"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The U.S. government announced on the 4th (local time) that it will discuss strengthening trilateral military cooperation among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea at the upcoming U.S.-Japan summit scheduled for the 13th.

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), said during a virtual briefing that "You have seen the recent bilateral military exercises between the U.S. and Japan in response to the heightened tensions from North Korea's Kim Jong-un regime, and you will continue to see such exercises going forward."

He added, "We are already engaged in excellent bilateral military cooperation and will continue to explore ways to enhance trilateral military cooperation with Japan and South Korea." However, when asked whether the U.S.-Japan summit would discuss conducting joint exercises similar to those with South Korea, he refrained from elaborating, saying, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Coordinator Kirby stated, "We are closely monitoring the Kim Jong-un regime's expansion of advanced military capabilities and nuclear ambitions," adding, "We are ensuring that our key allies, Japan and South Korea, as well as the broader region and beyond, are prepared to protect our national security interests." He explained, "That is why we have expanded intelligence-gathering capabilities on and around the Korean Peninsula, conducted additional exercises, and deployed more military assets to the area."

Previously, at the year-end Workers' Party plenary meeting last year, Kim Jong-un instructed the mass production of tactical nuclear weapons and an exponential increase in the number of nuclear warheads.

Regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol's directive to consider suspending the effectiveness of the September 19 military agreement if North Korea again violates territorial boundaries, Coordinator Kirby refrained from commenting, stating, "That is a matter for President Yoon to address."

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