Emphasizing 'Opportunities and Practical Benefits' in the New Korea-US-Japan Cooperation Framework... Warning to North Korea to 'Cut Off Funding Sources' (Comprehensive)

Yoon "Securing Growth Engines... Creating Quality High-Income Jobs"
Promoting New Cooperation in Economic Sectors Such as Supply Chains, Finance, and Advanced Technology
Strengthened Message on North Korea... "Triangular Security Alliance More Solid"

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 21st, "Through the trilateral cooperation system of Korea, the United States, and Japan at Camp David, the risks to our people will definitely decrease, and opportunities will certainly increase." This means that tangible benefits can be secured in the areas of supply chains, financial foreign exchange markets, and advanced science and technology, which were discussed at the historic first-ever standalone Korea-U.S.-Japan summit. In particular, regarding North Korea, he mentioned that they would "not hesitate to use nuclear weapons" and announced active monitoring of the funding sources through 'cyber illegal activities.'

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon presided over the Eulji Cabinet Meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office building, expressing the will for trilateral economic cooperation by stating, "The Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, which had been limited to regional coordination, will evolve into a pan-regional cooperative body contributing to the establishment of freedom, peace, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region."

President Yoon particularly forecasted concrete achievements in supply chains, emerging technologies, and financial and foreign exchange markets. Following the announcement of the 'Spirit of Camp David' on the 18th (local time) at Camp David, Maryland, USA, the three countries agreed to establish the first-ever annual meeting of industry and commerce ministers, signaling a new economic cooperation system different from before.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Eulji and the 35th Cabinet Meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 21st.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Supply Chain Instability, Intensified Advanced Technology Competition... "Will Respond to Threats and Elevate Cooperation for Mutual Benefits"

As a result of the trilateral summit, economic cooperation is expected to be further advanced in areas such as supply chains for semiconductors and batteries, technology security and standards, critical minerals, and bio-technology?fields that represent future growth engines and new growth drivers. Amid supply chain instability and intensified competition in advanced technologies, Korea, the U.S., and Japan have agreed to raise the level of cooperation to respond to common threats and pursue mutual benefits.

Most importantly, for Korea, which has a resource-poor and highly externally dependent economic structure, securing a stable supply chain is highly significant. President Yoon referred to the 'elemental water crisis' during the previous Moon Jae-in administration, stating, "In the event of external disruptions, rapid coordinated responses will be possible, and uncertainties for companies related to the supply of critical minerals, materials, and equipment essential for semiconductor, electric vehicle, and battery production are expected to be greatly reduced." Considering that President Yoon has emphasized 'strengthening supply chains' in all his overseas visits since taking office, the outcomes from this trilateral summit can be regarded as the first substantial achievements.

They also agreed to establish a cooperative network to protect innovative technologies leading the future. By initiating consultations among the three countries' technology protection authorities within the year, the trilateral technology protection capabilities will be enhanced, and based on this, advanced technology cooperation among the three countries will deepen and expand. This includes cooperation among government standardization bodies to respond to international standards competition, enabling Korea to secure leadership in the technology sector alongside the U.S.

The trilateral cooperation also took a significant first step toward stabilizing financial markets. By launching the 'Korea-U.S.-Japan Finance Ministers' Meeting,' they agreed to pool efforts for financial market stability. Previously, financial and foreign exchange cooperation had been conducted only in bilateral frameworks such as Korea-U.S., Korea-Japan, and U.S.-Japan, but now it has expanded to trilateral cooperation. The Korean government, aligned with President Yoon's intention to normalize Korea-Japan relations, agreed in June to restore the Korea-Japan currency swap. Based on this, trilateral trade and investment cooperation for financial and foreign exchange market stabilization will be further solidified. The Presidential Office analyzed that such trilateral economic cooperation could create a virtuous cycle where "our economy grows larger, industries become more advanced, more jobs are created, and real welfare improves."

Confirmed Operation of Real-Time Sharing System for North Korean Missile Warning Information... "Will Monitor and Block Funding Sources for North Korean Nuclear Development"

Regarding security, another core pillar of the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit outcomes, President Yoon expressed confidence, saying, "The more North Korea's provocative threats increase, the stronger the trilateral security cooperation structure among Korea, the U.S., and Japan will become." This referred to the adoption of the 'Commitment to Consult' on trilateral cooperation against common threats, and he announced, "Korea, the U.S., and Japan will concentrate their capabilities on monitoring and blocking cyber illegal activities, which are the funding sources for the North Korean regime's nuclear missile development."

He also places great expectations on strengthening 'trilateral military exercises' to effectively respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. This includes not only exercises conducted immediately after provocations such as missile launches but also the establishment of a framework for annual planned trilateral exercises. Through this, they plan to send coordinated messages regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and lay the foundation for stable trilateral cooperation.

The three countries reaffirmed plans to operate a real-time sharing system for North Korean missile warning information within the year. Currently, Korea and the U.S. share warning information in real time through the Korean Military Operations Control Center (KTMO-CELL) and the U.S. Forces Korea Operations Control Center (TMO-CELL), and the U.S. Forces Japan and the Japan Self-Defense Forces also operate a real-time information sharing system. However, real-time sharing among the three countries has not been implemented. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Hawaii Joint Control Center will serve as the hub for the real-time warning information sharing system, connecting the U.S. Forces Korea's TMO-CELL and the U.S. Forces Japan's C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) to establish a trilateral real-time information sharing network among Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The Presidential Office also expressed considerable expectations for hosting the second Korea-U.S.-Japan summit in Korea. After the trilateral summit, President Yoon said at a joint press conference, "I hope that next time, the three leaders can meet again in Korea," and upon returning home, he tweeted, "I hope to hold the next Korea-U.S.-Japan summit in Korea with the two leaders."

Given that the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit was held in Hiroshima, Japan, in May and this time in the U.S., it is natural for the next summit to be held in Korea. However, major political events such as the Korean general election in April next year and the U.S. presidential election in November are variables. The Presidential Office stated, "Considering the situations in Korea and the U.S., the possibility of holding it in the first half of next year is high," but also mentioned, "Since it has been declared to be regularized at least once a year, consultations among working-level officials will continue accordingly."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Eulji and the 35th Cabinet Meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the 21st.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

"North Korea Will Not Hesitate to Use Nuclear Weapons to Achieve Its Goals... Thoroughly Check North Korean Nuclear Response Drills"

Warnings to North Korea were also included. President Yoon said, "North Korea will attempt to paralyze the national infrastructure by attacking critical national facilities," and "North Korea will mobilize all available means to achieve its war objectives and will not hesitate to use nuclear weapons." Regarding the Eulji Exercise, which is conducted over four days starting from that day, he ordered to "thoroughly check national response capabilities through the 'North Korean nuclear response drills.'"

The Eulji Exercise is a government-led emergency preparedness drill conducted once a year nationwide to check national crisis management capabilities and practice wartime mission procedures in response to security threats such as war or incidents. The Eulji Exercise is also conducted in conjunction with the Korea-U.S. joint exercise 'Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS).'

President Yoon particularly emphasized, "North Korea will cause severe social chaos and division from the early stages of war through disguised peace offensives, fake news dissemination, and propaganda using anti-state forces," and stressed, "It is more important than anything else to thoroughly crush fake news, disguised peace offensives, and propaganda and to unite public opinion." Unlike last year's Eulji Exercise, which was the first conducted after his inauguration and focused only on preparing for cyberattacks on national information and communication infrastructure, this year’s exercise also covers non-physical social chaos caused by fake news.

In fact, President Yoon emphasized, "Today's wars show a mixed pattern of all types of warfare, including psychological warfare and public opinion warfare using fake news, irregular warfare accompanied by terrorism, cyber warfare in cyberspace, and conventional warfare combined with nuclear threats," and stressed, "Efforts to enhance the capabilities of the civilian, government, and military sectors to conduct total national war are absolutely necessary."

He also issued a warning regarding North Korea's threats using 'fake news.' President Yoon said, "From the early stages of war, North Korea will cause severe social chaos and division through disguised peace offensives, fake news dissemination, and propaganda using anti-state forces," expressing concern that "this could lead to a situation where rapid wartime transition is hindered, resulting in defeat before a full-scale fight even begins." He added, "It is more important than anything else to thoroughly crush fake news, disguised offensives, and propaganda and to unite public opinion."

He evaluated the previous administration, which had scaled down and implemented the Eulji Exercise, as having "normalized" it. He said, "It has been upgraded to an integrated exercise involving civilians, government, and military with the participation of the entire nation," and ordered improvements in protection measures for critical national facilities involving public participation. Mentioning nuclear power plants, advanced industrial facilities, and national communication networks, he expressed concern that "if these are destroyed by missiles, drones, or cyberattacks, it would cause enormous disruption to our war sustainability and the lives of our people."

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