Security Chiefs of Three Countries Strengthen Security and Economic Cooperation, Reaffirm Obligations on North Korea's Denuclearization and Ban on Military Cooperation (Comprehensive)

Trilateral Security Chiefs Meeting of Korea, US, and Japan... "Cooperation Without Delay on Real-Time Sharing of North Korea Missile Warning Information"
Director Akiba: "Linked to Countering North Korea's Illicit Cyber Activities... Responding to Protect the Foundation of Democratic Societies"
Advisor Sullivan: "Expanding Defense Cooperation Among the Three Countries... Joint Development Projects Including Food Security Underway"

Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office, stated on the 9th that the three countries of South Korea, the United States, and Japan "reconfirmed North Korea's denuclearization obligations and military cooperation prohibitions under the UN Security Council resolutions related to North Korea, and agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation to ensure thorough implementation by the international community."

On the same day, Cho, Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, and Takeo Akiba, Director of Japan's National Security Secretariat, held a trilateral security meeting in Seoul in the morning. After the meeting, they held a joint briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office, expressing their commitment to strengthening cooperation not only in security but also in economic collaboration.

Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office (center), is taking a commemorative photo with Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor (left), and Takeo Akiba, Director of Japan's National Security Bureau, at the joint security briefing of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan held on the 9th in the briefing room of the Yongsan Presidential Office building.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Director Cho explained, "The spirit and principles of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation presented at the Camp David summit are comprehensive and strategic, covering security, economy, and technology," adding, "The three national security directors discussed various measures to practically implement the directions set by the three leaders." He further stated, "We agreed to steadily promote trilateral security cooperation, including real-time sharing of North Korean missile warning information and the establishment of a multi-year trilateral training plan. We also decided to promptly and effectively implement follow-up measures to the Camp David agreement in the fields of cyber economy, advanced technology, and development cooperation, and to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation in supply chains, technology protection, joint research, AI (artificial intelligence), governance, and economic security."

He emphasized, "We exchanged views on global issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East, and the three countries, which share universal values such as liberal democracy and human rights, agreed to strongly cooperate to uphold a rules-based international order. We also agreed to coordinate responses to foreign disinformation and other covert operations."

Director Akiba referred to the dinner hosted by President Yoon Suk-yeol for the three national security directors at the presidential residence the previous day, saying, "I conveyed once again to President Yoon Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's strong will to develop Korea-Japan relations and promote strategic linkage among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan." Regarding the issue of North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens, he added, "I requested continued understanding and cooperation from South Korea and the U.S. for an immediate resolution, and both Advisor Sullivan and Director Cho reiterated their support."

The cooperative stance on responding to North Korean provocations was also reaffirmed. Director Akiba said, "We agreed to coordinate trilateral efforts to counter illicit cyber activities funding North Korea's nuclear and missile programs," and "We confirmed that the three countries will work together to protect the foundations of a free and democratic society, including the fair conduct of elections, from serious external information manipulation threats."

Advisor Sullivan also emphasized trilateral cooperation in security and economy. He said, "Above all, we fulfilled the new commitment to consult with each other when responding to regional threats and expanded trilateral defense cooperation." He highlighted the establishment of an early warning system for the supply chains of critical minerals and secondary batteries among the three countries. Sullivan added, "We are also advancing joint global development projects, including food security, health security, and economic security." He also raised the issue of deepening cooperation among the three countries' coast guards, stating, "We will safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and uphold freedom of navigation in the East China Sea and South China Sea."

The previous day, Director Cho held separate meetings with Advisor Sullivan and Director Akiba. At the South Korea-U.S. national security directors' meeting, they agreed to strengthen security and economic cooperation, including extended deterrence against North Korea. Cho and Sullivan concurred that South Korea's partial suspension of the 'September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement' was a cautious and restrained measure in response to North Korea's continuous violations of Security Council resolutions and agreements. However, both sides confirmed their openness to dialogue with North Korea.

Advisor Sullivan also emphasized that the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea is stronger than ever. They assessed that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is more robust than ever as a global comprehensive strategic alliance. They also evaluated that the alliance contributes to the expansion of liberal democracy, economic development, security, and technological innovation as a core pillar of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Furthermore, they agreed that the follow-up measures to the joint statement commemorating the 70th anniversary of the alliance and the 'Washington Declaration,' agreed upon by President Yoon and President Joe Biden during Yoon's state visit to the U.S. in April, are being implemented smoothly, and they decided to strengthen cooperation in Indo-Pacific strategy, emerging technologies, and economic security, including extended deterrence.

Before the South Korea-U.S. national security directors' meeting with Advisor Sullivan, Director Cho also held a South Korea-Japan national security directors' meeting with Director Akiba. Both sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including Korea-Japan relations, North Korea, and regional and international situations. Cho and Akiba evaluated the smooth exchanges at all levels, including the seven summit meetings between President Yoon and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida this year. They also agreed to continue close communication and cooperation to achieve tangible results that the peoples of both countries can feel in various fields, including security, economy, and people-to-people exchanges.

Additionally, they shared the view that North Korea's unprecedented provocations pose a serious threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to regional and international peace and stability, reaffirming the need to strengthen Korea-Japan and South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation and international solidarity.

Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor to the White House, is speaking at a joint briefing of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan Security Directors' Meeting held on the morning of the 9th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul, with Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office, and Akiba Takeo, Director of Japan's National Security Bureau.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

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