ROK-US-Japan "Second 'Freedom Edge' Exercise Soon"

Deputy Minister-Level ROK-US-Japan Security Meeting Held
"Mention of China's Dangerous and Aggressive Actions"

South Korea, the United States, and Japan gathered in Seoul to reaffirm their commitment to trilateral security cooperation.

The Ministry of National Defense announced that the 15th South Korea-U.S.-Japan Security Meeting (DTT) was held in Seoul on the 10th. Cho Chang-rae, Director General of Defense Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, Kara Abercrombie, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy of the U.S. Department of Defense, and Yamato Taro, Director of Defense Policy Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Defense, participated as chief representatives.

The Ministry of National Defense announced that the 15th Korea-U.S.-Japan Security Meeting (DTT) was held in Seoul on the 10th. From the left, Kara Abercrombie, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy, U.S. Department of Defense; Cho Chang-rae, Director General of Defense Policy, Ministry of National Defense; Yamato Taro, Director General of Defense Policy Bureau, Japan Ministry of Defense.
[Photo by Ministry of National Defense]

The three countries’ representatives agreed that the "South Korea-U.S.-Japan Security Cooperation Framework" memorandum of cooperation, signed by the defense ministers of the three countries in July, institutionalizes the progress made so far and will serve as a foundation for systematically and stably advancing trilateral security cooperation.

They also agreed to continuously explore various opportunities for future "trilateral exercises" and to update the multi-year trilateral exercise plan by the end of this year. In particular, they highly evaluated the first-ever multi-domain trilateral exercise, "Freedom Edge," conducted in June, which enhanced interoperability among the three countries and contributed to safeguarding freedom, peace, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula. They decided to conduct the second Freedom Edge exercise in the near future, with the timing of the second exercise reportedly being discussed around the end of this year.

The three representatives expressed serious concerns about the expanded military cooperation between North Korea and Russia emphasized in the "Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between the two countries. They also condemned North Korea’s recent diversification of nuclear weapons delivery systems, multiple ballistic missile launches and tests, and other related activities, urging North Korea to immediately cease all actions that cause security instability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

They recalled their respective positions on China’s dangerous and aggressive actions supporting illegal maritime territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea. A Ministry of National Defense official stated, "The South China Sea is a crucial area through which our maritime transport and logistics pass, affecting important national interests," adding, "The peace and stability of such an area have a significant impact on security."

They further recognized that the trilateral basic stance on Taiwan remains unchanged and emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element for international security and prosperity, urging the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. The 16th South Korea-U.S.-Japan DTT is scheduled to be held in Japan in the first half of next year.