Trilateral US-ROK-Japan Nuclear Envoys Call North Korea's Continued Provocations "A Challenge to the International Community"

"Worsens the Situation... Condemnation Over Illegal Acts Marking the New Year"

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The senior representatives for North Korea's nuclear issue from South Korea, the United States, and Japan held a trilateral phone consultation on the 1st and described the results of North Korea's Workers' Party plenary meeting, which pledged to continue strengthening its self-defensive military capabilities, as a "challenge to the international community."

They warned that North Korea's declared continuation of provocations would deepen its isolation and face a stronger South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation, and a united and resolute response from the international community.

Kim Geon, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Office for Peaceful Negotiations on the Korean Peninsula, consulting by phone (Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kim Gun, head of the Peace Negotiation Headquarters for the Korean Peninsula, held a phone consultation with Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, and Funakoshi Takehiro, Japan's senior representative for North Korea's nuclear issue. The three countries' representatives stated that North Korea's plenary meeting results, which pledged to accelerate the strengthening of self-defensive military capabilities, are nonsensical, a challenge to the international community, and only worsen the situation.

They further emphasized that the only way to alleviate the suffering of the people amid North Korea's extremely difficult economic situation is to halt provocations, return to dialogue, restore exchanges with the international community, and use resources and funds wasted on nuclear and missile advancements to stabilize people's livelihoods.

The three representatives also reiterated that the door to dialogue with North Korea remains always open. The U.S. and Japan reaffirmed strong support for Kim Gun's unwavering efforts to return to dialogue based on the "Bold Initiative."

The three countries' representatives had also held a phone consultation the previous day in response to North Korea's launch of three short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs).