Campbell, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, to Visit Korea on the 16th... Discussing North Korean Military Provocations

The Trilateral Deputy Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Korea, the United States, and Japan Held

Kurt Campbell, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, will visit South Korea on the 16th (Korean time) to discuss concerns over North Korea's provocations with South Korean government officials.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 13th (local time), the U.S. Department of State announced that Deputy Secretary Campbell will meet with senior South Korean government officials in Seoul to discuss bilateral cooperation to strengthen security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as concerns over North Korea's provocations.

The State Department also stated that during Campbell's visit to Seoul on the 16th, the trilateral U.S.-South Korea-Japan deputy foreign ministers' meeting will address North Korea's threats and the importance of adherence to international law in the South China Sea. Campbell will visit Japan prior to his trip to South Korea.

Accordingly, the U.S. and South Korea, along with the trilateral U.S.-South Korea-Japan group, are expected to discuss the recent escalation of inter-Korean tensions surrounding North Korea's claims of South Korean drone intrusions, the possibility of North Korean provocations around the U.S. presidential election on November 5, and corresponding response measures. On the 11th, North Korea issued a serious statement claiming that South Korea sent drones over Pyongyang's airspace during late-night hours on the 3rd, 9th, and 10th. Regardless of the veracity of these claims, interpretations suggest that North Korea may be building justification ahead of military provocations, heightening military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.