Seoul: The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States, and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. This reaffirmation occurred during trilateral talks at a multilateral forum, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi shared their stance at the meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering. This meeting was their first since Motegi assumed office following the formation of the new Japanese cabinet under Prime Minister Sanae Takanichi, who was elected last week. The discussions followed summit talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in Gyeongju.
The ministry stated that the diplomats agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea while upholding the shared principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. They also agreed to continue efforts to promote peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy and expressed their commitment to ongoing cooperation for regional prosperity.
The commitment to a nuclear-free peninsula aligns with what Seoul indicated was communicated by Trump during his summit with President Lee. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac mentioned that Trump committed to promoting regional peace based on the 2018 Singapore Declaration, signed between Washington and Pyongyang during his first term. This declaration involves North Korea's promise to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
During the meeting, Cho proposed that the three nations collaborate to enhance resilience in regional supply chains and address transnational challenges on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region. The diplomats agreed to maintain close communication through various multilateral meetings and other occasions moving forward, according to the ministry.
The meeting took place in a "pull-aside" format after the three countries reversed an earlier cancellation due to scheduling conflicts. Seoul had previously announced that the meeting was canceled but later confirmed the talks.