Deputy Foreign Ministers of Korea, the US, and Japan "Strongly Condemn North Korea's Missile Provocations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] The deputy foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan held a trilateral phone call on the 25th (local time) and strongly condemned North Korea's missile provocations.

The U.S. Department of State stated in a press release, “Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun-dong, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori held a trilateral call,” adding, “Deputy Secretary Sherman condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launches as acts that destabilize the region and clear violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

The deputy ministers reaffirmed the necessity of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to confront regional challenges and discussed ongoing efforts to achieve the goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the State Department reported.

Deputy Secretary Sherman reiterated that the United States' commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan is ironclad.

She also mentioned that the door to diplomacy with North Korea remains open and that the U.S. will take all necessary measures to guarantee the security of its allies.

Furthermore, she demanded that North Korea cease its illegal security-threatening activities and engage in sustainable and genuine dialogue.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement saying that the deputy ministers of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan agreed on the need for a firm and unified international response to North Korea's missile launch the previous day.

They agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation among the three countries regarding future responses, including measures at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) level.

Meanwhile, according to the State Department, Deputy Secretary Sherman expressed concern over the spread of COVID-19 in North Korea and emphasized that the U.S. is prepared to support international efforts to respond to this situation.

Both South Korea and the U.S. reaffirmed their willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea for its COVID-19 response.

The three deputy ministers evaluated that President Biden's recent visits to South Korea and Japan served as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan on the Korean Peninsula issue as well as key regional and global issues, and they agreed to continue strengthening trilateral cooperation, including security collaboration.

They are also coordinating a schedule to hold a South Korea-U.S.-Japan deputy foreign ministers' meeting in Seoul as early as next month. Deputy Secretary Sherman and Deputy Minister Mori are expected to visit Seoul to attend the meeting.