Shibbir Ahmed, New York — The United States, Japan and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea while calling for the resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week. In a joint statement released September 21, the three countries also pledged to strengthen cooperation on regional security, economic resilience and emerging technologies.
The three ministers reiterated their opposition to support that generates revenue for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions. At the same time, they said the path to dialogue remains open and called on Pyongyang to return to negotiations.
Washington, Tokyo and Seoul also welcomed international efforts to monitor North Korea’s violations and evasion of UN sanctions. They highlighted cooperation against North Korean cyber threats and activities involving North Korean IT workers. The statement also addressed humanitarian issues, including abductees, detainees, unrepatriated prisoners of war and separated families.
Focus on Economic Security
Economic security was another major topic of the trilateral meeting. The three countries said they would work to strengthen free and transparent trade and protect critical supply chains. They agreed to enhance their trilateral Supply Chain Early Warning System and welcomed a new consultation mechanism on economic security.
The countries also discussed energy security, including greater regional cooperation and increased oil stockpiles. They said they would advance implementation of a July 7 trilateral agreement aimed at accelerating small modular reactor deployments while maintaining nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation standards. The three governments further pledged cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum technology, digital infrastructure, biotechnology and semiconductors.
Taiwan Strait and Regional Security
The United States reiterated its defense commitments to Japan and South Korea, including extended deterrence commitments. The three ministers also stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They called for peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and opposed unilateral attempts to change the status quo.
They also reaffirmed support for freedom of navigation and overflight and lawful commerce in the Indo-Pacific and globally, consistent with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The statement also announced trilateral cooperation with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to combat organized crime, particularly scam centers in Southeast Asia. The three countries agreed to continue cooperation on maritime security, law enforcement, disaster relief and Arctic issues. The ministers concluded by committing to continue trilateral meetings and strengthen cooperation at regional and global levels.
