Follow-up Measures After Last Year's Camp David Trilateral Summit
Adoption of Joint Declaration at Korea-US-Japan Industry Ministers Meeting
The industry ministers of Korea, the United States, and Japan confirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation on semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains, protecting advanced technologies, and coordinating export controls at their first meeting held on the 26th (local time). Although the three ministers did not directly mention China, they indirectly expressed concerns targeting China's export controls on critical minerals.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Minister An Deok-geun of the Ministry of Industry held the 1st Korea-U.S.-Japan Industry Ministers' Meeting in Washington D.C. together with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Saito Gen.
On the 26th (local time), at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington D.C., Minister An Deok-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (right), U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (center), and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Saito Gen attended the "1st Korea-U.S.-Japan Industry Ministers' Meeting" and posed for a commemorative photo.
This meeting was a follow-up measure to the agreement among the Korea-U.S.-Japan leaders at Camp David in August last year. Through the first trilateral meeting, the three industry ministers discussed ways to promote the development of core and emerging technologies and strengthen the economic security of the three countries, adopting a joint declaration reflecting their cooperative intentions.
The joint declaration included expanding cooperation on semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains, protecting advanced technologies and coordinating export controls, promoting joint research and standard cooperation related to advanced industrial technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), strengthening cooperation in the clean energy sector, and trilateral cooperation within the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
Specifically, the three countries reaffirmed that semiconductors play an essential role in a wide range of industries and applications critical to their economic growth and national security, declaring in the statement that "building resilient semiconductor supply chains is a shared interest."
Regarding clean energy, they agreed to cooperate to establish a stable and resilient global supply chain for clean, carbon-free, and low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen compounds, and to explore ways to strengthen cooperation among the three ministries on low-carbon and carbon-free energy emission technologies. Additionally, the three countries shared concerns that recent non-market measures could cause unreasonable and significant disruptions to critical mineral supply chains, including gallium, germanium, and graphite, and agreed to take appropriate measures necessary to secure sustainable and resilient global supply chains.
The joint declaration of the Korea-U.S.-Japan industry ministers did not explicitly mention "China." However, the declaration stated, "We (Korea, the U.S., and Japan) share concerns about the weaponization of economic dependence on specific sources of strategic items," effectively confirming a stance to check China. The concern about "unreasonable and significant disruptions to critical mineral supply chains, including gallium, germanium, and graphite" is interpreted as targeting China's export controls on critical minerals.
Furthermore, the three countries recognized that "core and emerging technologies will play a transformative role in expanding our economies and reshaping the competitive and strategic environment," and stated, "The three countries fundamentally understand the importance of encouraging the responsible use of such technologies while rejecting the technological advancements of those who threaten global peace and security and violate human rights."
Anduk Geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (left), is speaking at the "1st Korea-US-Japan Industry Ministers' Meeting" held at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. on the 26th.
Minister An said, "Korea, the U.S., and Japan are optimal cooperation partners leading advanced technologies and technological innovation and partners to overcome global supply chain crises together," adding, "We expect that future Korea-U.S.-Japan industry ministers' meetings will serve as an institutional foundation to deepen and develop industrial cooperation among the three countries and jointly respond to global risks."
Meanwhile, Korea, the U.S., and Japan agreed to hold the industry ministers' meeting annually and to continue working-level cooperation in the future to advance discussions among the three ministers.
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