Kim Taehyo "Plans for Korea-China-Japan Bilateral Strategic Dialogue... High-Level Communication with China and Russia"

Possibility of Korea-China-Japan Summit "Plans Are Being Discussed"
"Korea-US-Japan Cooperation Aims for Qualitative Strengthening... Including Culture"
Regarding Japan's Participation in Nuclear Consultation Group, "Agenda Between Korea and US Becomes Blurred"

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, announced on the 22nd that a bilateral strategic dialogue among Korea, China, and Japan is being planned. He also stated that regarding relations with China and Russia, "we are maintaining close communication on necessary current issues even at the high-level official level."

On the same day, Kim appeared on YTN in the afternoon and spoke about the possibility of holding the Korea-China-Japan summit, which has not been held since 2019. He said, "China also acknowledges the need for dialogue with Japan and Korea on current issues," adding, "We are trying to start bilateral strategic dialogues between China and Japan, and between China and Korea, and plans are being exchanged." This implies that if bilateral issues are actively discussed, the Korea-China-Japan summit could take place.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding relations with China and Russia, he explained, "It is true that war is ongoing and that Russia and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, have not been proactive regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles," adding, "It is important to maintain a firm readiness in security matters, but we continue to engage in dialogue with China and Russia. Even at the high-level official level, we maintain close communication on necessary current issues." However, concerning the South Korean government's support for Ukraine, he said, "Currently, support for Ukraine mainly consists of equipment needed for reconstruction or humanitarian rescue, so I think Russia does not have a significant political grievance."

Regarding security cooperation among Korea, the United States, and Japan, he emphasized, "It is about qualitatively strengthening the security cooperation among the three countries." He further explained, "It means concretizing cooperation agendas that the three countries have neglected, not only in security cooperation but also in economic supply chains, human exchanges, and socio-cultural fields."

However, he viewed Japan's participation in the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), agreed upon between the Korean and U.S. presidents during President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit to the U.S., negatively. Kim said, "It is open rather than closed," but explained, "If the NCG is expanded, the agenda that Korea and the U.S. need to focus on intensively on the Korean Peninsula will become blurred, so we should focus on establishing the NCG."

Regarding the timing of the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden during the recent G7 summit in Washington DC, he said, "It is at a stage where the date cannot be confirmed," and predicted, "The U.S. will narrow down the agenda and date and bring it forward." When asked if it would be before the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, he replied, "It is practically difficult for the three leaders to meet in Washington during a multilateral meeting."

Regarding the Fukushima nuclear power plant inspection team, he said, "The head of the team, the chairman of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, was appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration," adding, "We did not artificially or arbitrarily select anyone; regardless of the administration, experts with professionalism are committed to objective and scientific verification, so I believe a reasonable result can be derived."

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