White House: "Trilateral Cooperation Initiative to Strengthen US-ROK-Japan Summit"

The U.S. Biden administration has confirmed that it will announce key initiatives to strengthen trilateral cooperation at the upcoming South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit scheduled for the 18th. This signals that extensive marathon cooperation among the three countries will continue across various fields in the future.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated at a briefing held at the Foreign Press Center (FPC) on the 16th (local time), "The initiatives announced at the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit will elevate trilateral relations to a new level." Kirby emphasized, "Trilateral cooperation is for the future," adding, "This historic meeting will be the result of strong leadership, diplomacy, and determination to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for coming generations."

Kirby stressed that the initiatives to be announced at the summit are not limited to challenges in specific areas. He explained, "They address broader challenges related to trilateral cooperation," and "Various topics will be discussed, ranging from economic, diplomatic, to security domains." This aligns with the context of a separate briefing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken the previous day, who said, "It will be an opportunity to discuss and strengthen practical cooperation on a variety of shared priorities, from physical security to economic security, humanitarian aid, finance, global health, and technology." However, Blinken anticipated that a significant portion would focus on security issues, including economic security.

On the same day, Kirby appeared to dismiss the notion that the trilateral discussions on these broad challenges were aimed at China, which is engaged in a hegemonic competition. Regarding speculation that a South Korea-U.S.-Japan security consultative body akin to the Quad (U.S., Japan, India, Australia) might be launched through this meeting, he said, "Alliances with South Korea and Japan are already established," and drew a clear line by stating, "That is not something to be addressed at this meeting."

Regarding expectations that a NATO office might be established within the Indo-Pacific region, Kirby responded, "I do not foresee any visible or concrete discussions related to NATO cooperation." When asked about the South Korea-U.S.-Japan nuclear deterrence framework, he refrained from going ahead, saying, "I will not get ahead of things." Concerning North Korea, which continues nuclear missile provocations, he noted, "The concerns are not only about the Korean Peninsula but also the broader region."

Kirby emphasized, "At the beginning of the Biden administration, we worked to rebuild and revitalize alliances and partnerships worldwide, including in the Indo-Pacific region," adding, "We are reaching a new level of cooperation with our allies and partners." Regarding South Korea-Japan relations, he evaluated, "The leaders of both countries have shown remarkable leadership," and "Thanks to the political courage of President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korea-Japan relations have become stronger than ever." He further stressed, "We still believe there is room for further growth, especially through trilateral formats. That is the purpose of this meeting."

The South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit will be held on the 18th at Camp David, the U.S. president’s retreat. This is the first time President Biden has invited foreign leaders to Camp David since taking office. Addressing concerns that the momentum for trilateral cooperation might weaken due to upcoming presidential elections and regime changes, Kirby stated, "At this meeting, the three leaders will make it clear that they are ready to run a marathon to enhance trilateral cooperation," emphasizing, "This meeting is just the beginning."

Meanwhile, Kirby commented on North Korea’s announcement that Private Travis King, a U.S. soldier stationed in South Korea who defected to the North, expressed his intention to seek asylum. He said, "Anything coming out of Pyongyang should be viewed with suspicion." He added, "This is an important follow-up situation. We still want to know where he is and what condition he is in," and "Through other channels, we have made it clear to North Korea that we want his return, but currently, there is little information." North Korea claimed through a report by the Korean Central News Agency the previous day that "Travis King expressed disillusionment with the unequal American society and declared his intention to seek asylum in our country or a third country."

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